141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

290960
Learned lessons from implementation of California's policy on readability and suitability of written health education materials in a managed care setting

Wednesday, November 6, 2013 : 12:30 PM - 12:45 PM

Thanh Mai Dinh, MPH, CHES , Health Education Department, CalOptima, Orange, CA
Jorge Castaņeda, MPH , Health Education Department, CalOptima, Orange, CA
To maintain a publicly funded health education system that provides effective services, functions and resources, CalOptima, a managed care organization in Orange County California evaluated its review and approval process for all written health education materials in accordance with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and federal guidelines. This project utilized innovative approaches, emphasizing health literacy and education promotion strategies which are best fit to enhance the readability and suitability of written health education materials. The planning stages of this project involved the development of internal processes for materials evaluation, staff training, formulation of a field testing tool and communication to contracted networks on work plans. Upon implementation, this project reviewed over 400 materials internally created, adapted, purchased or used by 11 contracted health networks. Materials were assessed for reading level, content, layout, visuals, cultural appropriateness, translation, field tested and medical content review if clinical. This presentation will describe the criteria necessary for creating effective health education materials, detail steps taken to plan and implement a state policy at a local level, discuss collaboration efforts with vendors, and identify methods for health educators to advocate for readability and suitability in a managed care setting. Presenters will cover the successes and challenges in the planning and implementation of this state policy including the lessons learned and the community response. Ongoing, this policy and dissemination of the project results will serves as a model for future planning and implementation at the local level and globally.

Learning Areas:
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines

Learning Objectives:
Define health literacy and its importance to health promotion and prevention Differentiate between readability and suitability Establish criteria creating effective health education materials Demonstrate methods for implementing guidelines of a state policy on health education materials Identify best practices to implement a state policy within a select managed care setting in California Improve health education competencies by exchanging innovative strategies, successes and challenges

Keywords: Health Education Strategies, Public Health Education and Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have 6 years of training in the development and evaluation of culturally competent and approriate health education materials. As a Health Educator, I have been actively working to plan and implement the state policy for written health education materials in a managed care agency. I have reviewed health education materials, utilized the checklist and created policy work plans for the organization. I have trained others on health literacy, cultural competency, readability and suitability.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.