Dear Julie,
Have you tried to buy a television lately? Talk about intimidation and not understanding  technology! A big difference between buying a television or understanding your doctor is that you probably don't need the television as much as you need your doctor( maybe not). I don't get angry, however, when the salesman talks to me in a different technical language. I am more likely to say, "I don't understand anything you just said' to the TV. guy than my doctor.
I strongly believe that the term, 'health literacy' is divisive and alienating making some people feel that they are considered illiterate or un-bright. All of us have low literacy in something.
Jan Green
Senior Health Educator
Chinese Community Health Resource Center

-----Original Message-----
From: healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Julie McKinney
Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 11:50 AM
To: healthliteracy at nifl.gov
Subject: [HealthLiteracy 903] Wednesday Question: Cultural gap
betweenhealth and literacy fields


Hi Everyone,

Today's question comes from a conversation that I had with a counselor
from a community adult literacy program in Massachusetts. She said that
it was "intimidating" sometimes for people from smaller grassroots
organizations like literacy programs to communicate with medical
professionals, even in the context of posting a message on this list.
Why? It seems that it is because they perceive the health community as
having a higher level, or perhaps just different or more formal type of
professionalism.

It is interesting, and also well documented, that medical professionals
have this effect on people. It even has a term: white coat syndrome!
Apparently, research has shown that people's blood pressure actually
rises when someone with a white coat walks into the room--even if they
are not a real doctor!

So my questions are:

Is there, indeed, a culture gap between the medical and literacy
communities? Does this include other grassroots organizations that
advocate for the underserved?

We want these two factions to work together as a team to improve health
literacy. How do we overcome the culture gap in order to facilitate
this? 

I know that literacy teachers who invite a health professional to their
classroom to talk to students will often give the health person tips on
how to communicate effectively with English learners and those with low
literacy skills. What other kinds of "cultural competency" needs to be
shared between these groups?

Do others feel this, too? I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts!

All the best,
Julie




Julie McKinney
Discussion List Moderator
World Education/NCSALL
jmckinney at worlded.org

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