Putting the Human into Health Literacy

Think about your favorite book. It probably kept you turning page after page because it had an engaging storyline, a relatable character, or a situation that resonated in some way with your personal life. Authors tell a story. Yet as healthcare communicators, the story is often removed and what’s left is information. The healthcare industry, however, faces an extraordinary challenge. A Health Affairs study showed that most Americans do not understand basic health insurance terminology. Bridging the gap between information and engagement is a critical piece of health literacy communication. According to the 2017 International Public Sector Survey, consumers stated the most important area for clear communication was health. And it’s not surprising. UnitedHealthcare’s recent Consumer Sentiment Survey found that only 9 percent of the U.S. population understood the top four basic health insurance terms (premium, deductible, out-of-pocket-maximum and co-insurance). How can we as healthcare communicators connect, tell a story and engage our readers to understand health content? How can we deliver on the demand of health literacy? We need to take off our writer’s hats for a moment and we need to be human. Read more here: https://news.nnlm.gov/bhic/a1vd.    
Source: BHIC - Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Tags: Articles Health Information Literacy Public Health engaged consumer health communication storytelling Source Type: blogs