Health literacy had been paying attention to the skills of the reader and the quality of the texts as well as the abilities of the listener and the communication skills of the speaker. Researchers and practitioners are also focusing on the context within which health activities take place. The health literacy environment of hospitals and health centers influences patients and family members as well as health care professionals. Workshop participants will discuss attributes of a health literate organization and identify factors that facilitate or impede people’s access to health information and care. Participants will be introduced to The Health Literacy Environment Activity Packet, originally developed and posted in 2007 and the Institute of Medicine Report of 2012. The hands on component of the workshop will send participations on a small journey – following a navigation exercise to begin the process of understanding literacy related barriers in the environment.
Objectives:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- List and discuss at least 5 key attributes of a health literacy environment.
- Describe a process for introducing an environmental literacy assessment.
- Outline a plan for introducing the environmental assessment plan in their workplace.