Plain language: a strategic response to the health literacy challenge.

Full Abstract

Low health literacy is a major challenge confronting American and international health organizations. Research in the past decade has documented the prevalence of limited literacy and limited health literacy skills among adults worldwide. This creates a major policy challenge:
how to create text-based health information - a common method of health communication - that is accessible to the public. Plain language is a logical, flexible response. While touted by American, Canadian, and European health policy makers, adoption and promotion of plain language standards and skills in health-focused organizations have lagged. Most text-based health information continues to be too hard for most adults to read. Barriers to more rapid diffusion of plain language are reflected in a set of myths perpetuated by critics. These myths are identified and refuted. While plain language is only one of many broad-based solutions needed to address low health literacy, the benefits to everyone demand increased use by health organizations.

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Author information

Author/s: Stableford, Sue (S); Mettger, Wendy (W);

Affiliation: AHEC Health Literacy Center, University of New England, Biddeford, ME 04005, USA. sstableford(-atsign-)une.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Review

Journal: Journal of public health policy (J Public Health Policy), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-; vol 28 (issue 1) : pp 71-93

Dates: Created 2007/03/16; Completed 2007/04/26;

PMID: 17363939, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Institute of Medicine (U.S.)
International Cooperation
Language
United States
United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

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