strategies to promote Health literacy
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Addressing the literacy needs of vulnerable populations is a basic component of designing health promotion programs and interventions. Numerous resources for developing literacy and culturally appropriate messages are available on federal websites. In addition, the federal plain language guidelines are available online. These guidelines were written to support the Plain Writing Law of 2010 that mandates plain language usage in all public documents, presentations, and electronic communications. Plain language is a strategy for making information easier to understand.
Strategies for delivering clear messages incorporate plain language princ ples. Some of the major strategies to keep in mind are listed in Table 12–2. Messages need to reflect the age, language, literacy level, and cultural diversity of the target individual or group. Messages must be relevant to the key beliefs, attitudes, and values of the group, using familiar and acceptable language and images. Messages may need to be presented multiple times using narra- rives and visual illustrations to capture attention and reinforce content. Tailored cultural mes- sages that use the client’s personal information are more effective than standard communication. In addition, communication channels that are familiar to the client and are easily assess able are more effective.
Culturally tailored messages. Culture influences how individuals understand and respond to information. For low-literacy, culturally diverse populations, only terms that the individual or groups are comfortable with should be used. Do not assume that all minority groups are alike. Consider the sub-population and geographic location. Mexican Americans in the Southwest, for example, may respond differently from Puerto Rican Americans in the Northeast. Differences also exist within the same culture or ethnic group, depending on the age, gender, class, or religious practices. Collaboration with organizations in the participant’s community enables the nurse to learn local beliefs and attitudes. If an interpreter is needed to convey information, someone from the same community who has experience in translating and knows the local language should be chosen instead of relatives or minors.