Audrey, I agree w/ you. I always say that literacy is the ability to communicate in a given environment and it goes both ways. If 300,000,000 people say high blood pressure and 1,000,000 say hypertension, the 1,000,000 need to adapt to the communication patterns of the population at large. This means that a select group have limited literacy to communicate with the population at large and not the inverse.

The minority is attempting to control the mode of communication patterns of the majority even though it is not working. In truth, it is this minority that lacks the literacy skills to communicate. Some are clearly not very smart either. After spending tons of money in getting an advanced education  they forget to communicate with the majority.

From: healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Audrey Riffenburgh
Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 10:27 AM
To: 'The Health and Literacy Discussion List'
Subject: [HealthLiteracy 3673] Re: Labeling "at risk" people? Or labeling poor communication?


Greetings, all,



Fran, I DO say "this makes sense for everyone" and it's true. If you look at the NAAL health literacy data, you'll see that "only 12% of the population is proficient" in the tasks required for health literacy. But I think we need to turn that on its head and say "the health, medical, and insurance industries have built systems that do not work for 88% of their intended audiences." I think we ought to start using that kind of labeling.



As we make the case, we don't have to point out any specific "at risk" populations because 88% of us are at risk of not being able to handle the systems that we're forced to use to get our health care, learn about healthy choices, etc. We need to make the case for change from that perspective and challenge the institutions, corporations, agencies, etc. to recreate systems and processes that work for everyone, no matter their educational, literacy, or language skills. That is their responsibility, I believe! In communication, whether patient education, technical writing, social marketing, or advertising, the writers'/speakers' first task is to know their audience and customize to the audience's needs and interests. That means one does not use methods that reach only 12% of your audience! Let's put the responsibility where it should be.



Audrey Riffenburgh, M.A., President
Plain Language Works, LLC

Specialists in Plain Language & Health Literacy since 1994

Based Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Phone: (505) 345-1107   E-mail: ar at plainlanguageworks.com<mailto:ar at plainlanguageworks.com>

========================================
Principal and Founding Member, www.clearlanguagegroup.com<http://www.clearlanguagegroup.com/>
Co-founder and former Faculty, www.healthliteracyinstitute.net<http://www.healthliteracyinstitute.net/>
Ph.D. Student in Health Communication, Univ. of New Mexico





> -----Original Message-----



> From: healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov]



> On Behalf Of Frances E. Robinson



> Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 8:20 AM



> To: The Health and Literacy Discussion List



> Subject: [HealthLiteracy 3673] Re: Simulated Hospital Patients



>



> I agree completely that labeling seems inappropriate and often unkind.



> Unfortunately, as long as we still need to constantly "make the case" to



> disbelievers of the need for health literacy advocacy, we will still need to identify



> the "at-risk" populations.  Evidence and statistics help to convince the skeptics,



> but data needs to be "labeled."  If only we could just say, "This makes sense for



> everyone..."



>



> Fran Robinson



> Patient Education Coordinator



> Patient Education Services



> Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center



> One Medical Center Drive



> Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756



> (603) 650-6439



>



> --- You wrote:



> I am missing why the patient needs to be labelled at all--everyone of us in some



> situation has problems understanding because of our capacity (variable over time



> and situation) and the demands placed on us.  These situations are too common



> to even need to label the person.



>



> Connie Davis, MN, RN



> Co-director, Health Literacy in Communities Prototype Collaborative



> Senior Faculty



> Impact BC



>



> 450 - 1385 West 8th Avenue



> Vancouver, BC V6H 3V9



>



> cell: 604 991-4563



> Tel: 604 742-1772



> Toll Free: 1 888 742-1772



> Fax: 604 742-1773



>



> Email: cdavis at impactbc.ca



> Web: www.impactbc.ca



> ________________________________________



> From: healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov [healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov] On



> Behalf Of IHABRAMSON at aol.com [IHABRAMSON at aol.com]



> Sent: Monday, November 02, 2009 2:29 PM



> To: healthliteracy at nifl.gov



> Subject: [HealthLiteracy 3666] Re: Simulated Hospital Patients



>



> Rima,



>



> Depending on the situation, I have used other terms such as  "undereducated



> adults."  By the way, we once had a governor here in Michigan who shared the



> sentiment you refer to [you had your chance] - and he promptly made cuts to



> many adult education programs.



>



> Ilene



>



>



>



>



> In a message dated 11/2/2009 1:58:44 PM Eastern Standard Time,



> rrudd at hsph.harvard.edu writes:



> Ilene,



> Yes, that is true but illiteracy is such a loaded word -- it has become a label



> shaded by blame [you had your chance] and filled with shame and a sense of



> disgrace.  I would not use it as a metaphor.



> Rima....



>



> Rima E. Rudd, ScD, MSPH



> Department of Society, Human Development & Health



> Harvard School of Public Health



> 677 Huntington Avenue



> Boston MA 02115



> Phone: 617 432 1135



> fax:     617 432 3123



> web:



> www.hsph.harvard.edu/healthliteracy<http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/healthliterac



> y>



> www.hsph.harvard.edu/sisterstogether<http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/sisterstoget



> her>



>



> >>> <IHABRAMSON at aol.com> 11/1/2009 11:45 AM >>>



> Thank you for your response, Rima.  A lot depends on how one defines illiteracy.



>



> Ilene



>



>  In a message dated 11/1/2009 11:40:32 AM Eastern Standard Time,



> rrudd at hsph.harvard.edu writes:



> Please keep in mind that while many people may struggle with the written word,



> very few people in the US are illiterate.



> Rima



>



> Rima E. Rudd, ScD, MSPH



> Department of Society, Human Development & Health



> Harvard School of Public Health



> 677 Huntington Avenue



> Boston MA 02115



> Phone: 617 432 1135



> fax:     617 432 3123



> web:



> www.hsph.harvard.edu/healthliteracy<http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/healthliterac



> y>



> www.hsph.harvard.edu/sisterstogether<http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/sisterstoget



> her>



>



> >>> <IHABRAMSON at aol.com> 10/30/2009 2:13 PM >>>



> Hello Everyone.



>



> I am in the process of preparing a curriculum involving simulated hospital patients,



> particularly those who might be illiterate, and was wondering if anyone had



> sample material to share. Given all our tight schedules, it's never great to re-



> invent the wheel. Thank you in advance.



>



>



> Ilene



>



> Ilene Abramson, Ph.D.



> Member- Policy Committee



> Michigan Board of Pharmacy (2009 - 2011)



>



> Member - Rules Committee (2009-2012)



> Michigan Board of Respiratory Care



>



> ihabramson at aol.com<mailto:ihabramson at aol.com>



> Tel:    248-926-0695



> Fax:   248-926-9080



>



>



>



> ----------------------------------------------------



> National Institute for Literacy



> Health and Literacy mailing list



> HealthLiteracy at nifl.gov



> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to



> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/healthliteracy



> Email delivered to ihabramson at aol.com



>



>



> ----------------------------------------------------



> National Institute for Literacy



> Health and Literacy mailing list



> HealthLiteracy at nifl.gov



> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to



> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/healthliteracy



> Email delivered to ihabramson at aol.com



> ----------------------------------------------------



> National Institute for Literacy



> Health and Literacy mailing list



> HealthLiteracy at nifl.gov



> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to



> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/healthliteracy



> Email delivered to frances.e.robinson at hitchcock.org



> --- end of quote ---



>



>



> ----------------------------------------------------



> National Institute for Literacy



> Health and Literacy mailing list



> HealthLiteracy at nifl.gov



> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to



> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/healthliteracy



> Email delivered to ar at plainlanguageworks.com


No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.424 / Virus Database: 270.14.47/2478 - Release Date: 11/03/09 07:36:00
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/healthliteracy/attachments/20091103/63c5a16b/attachment.html