Len,
 
thank you very much!  This is very nice information. 
 
John

-----Original Message-----
From: Lendoak at aol.com [mailto:Lendoak at aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 2:19 PM
To: healthliteracy at nifl.gov
Subject: [HealthLiteracy 1013] Re: Funding for bilingual cancer bookle ts -
reply


John,
 
Regarding a publisher for your proposed easy to read books on healthcare:
The Institute for Healthcare Advancement at Anaheim, CA. publishes a series
of health care/self management books at easy to read levels.  Some of their
books sell a million copies. They may be interested in partnering with you
on your proposed project.  In any case, you may want to see examples of what
they do.  You might talk with their Dir. of Operations, Mike Villaire:
mvillaire at iha4health.org <mailto:mvillaire at iha4health.org> 
 
You may find it difficult to write health care books at the 4th grade
reading level - 6th or 7th grade is more realistic because some medical
words have to be used (ie, diabetes) and these words drive the readability
level.  We don't say 4th grade can't be done, but most hospitals and gov't
agencies specify 6th grade, if they specify readability at all.
 
There are a few pieces of research that seem to say that driving down the
readability level is of only marginal help to less skilled readers. I think
it was Terri Davis and colleages at LSU who published findings comparing
comprehension for a CDC text on immunization written at both the 10th and 5
th grade levels. They tested subjects with high as well as limited reading
skills.  Result: The good readers got a lot more out of the easy to read
material compared to the more difficult material, but the less skilled
readers got only a marginally better understanding.  Kind of shocking, isn't
it.  
 
Research tells us that maybe a better result can be obtained in terms of
patient comprehension and motivation to comply if the key information is
shown in simple line drawings with easy to read captions - as well as the
running text.  ( If you decide to use this approach, may we suggest that you
consider using the benefits cited and the research findings to sell
potential sponsors on your idea.)
 
Len and Ceci Doak
Patient Learning Assoc. Inc.
PS  Please say "Hi!" to our OLD friends at ProLit. (LVA) 




  _____  

See what's free at AOL.com <http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503> . 

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