Using organizational tools to improve health literacy in public health

Two decades of research indicate that much health information is presented in ways that are not understandable by most Americans. The 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy found that 9 of 10 adults in the United States have difficulty with everyday health information. The Institute of Medicine, American Medical Association, American Dental Association, American College of Physicians, Joint Commission, and the National Patient Safety Foundation have stated that improving health literacy requires changes in organizational and professional practices. It is imperative that public health organizations also take steps to ensure their information, products, and services are accessible and understandable. Public health has a responsibility to everyone, especially the most vulnerable, because health literacy is a strong predictor of health outcomes and a major contributor to health disparities. This presentation will describe two new tools public health professionals can use to increase their knowledge and skills of health literacy and assess their organizational practices. One is a free online training from CDC. The training is based on research and best practices in online instruction. It includes examples, videos, exercises and quizzes to build knowledge and skills. The other is a draft National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Workgroup. The action plan is a framework with goals and strategies that organizations can use to identify their health literacy priorities and action steps. The plan is based on research, examples from the field and public comment.