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Twitter Me This: How Can We Improve Health Literacy?

 

(This blog was co-authored by Linda Harris, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Department of Health and Human Services.)

“How can we improve health literacy?”  is the question that over 160 individuals and organizations came together to discuss on Oct. 7, 2010 during a live Twitter chat hosted by me (Cynthia Baur , CDC’s Senior Health Literacy Advisor) and the Department of Health and Human Services’ healthfinder.gov team. In all, potentially more than 560,000 people were reached with the message of health literacy—in one hour!

Nikki (@eagledawg), a medical librarian at the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, described the experience as “one of the most unexpected and amazing community flashmob experiences I’ve been a part of on Twitter.” All of us at healthfinder.gov and CDC agree—the response is a sign that now is the time to mobilize around the issue of health literacy.

As a result of recent and continued developments in health literacy research and policy, people know that limited health literacy is a problem. So the question we want to ask you is: Now what? How can we mobilize and find actionable ways to improve health literacy?  

This sentiment was echoed throughout the #healthlit Twitter chat as people shared their questions, resources, and passion. The discussion touched upon the concept of empowering e-patients, supporting the doctor-patient relationship, and better targeting populations most in need of information for health literacy improvement.  Participants shared challenges, such as building trust and credibility and tackling the complexity of evaluation, as well as potential solutions—such as user-centered design and multi-channel approaches.

Participants were encouraged to review and adopt strategies from the National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy, which is a blueprint for coordinated health literacy efforts and contains seven goals with high level strategies that will improve health literacy.  As an example of Goal 1 in the action plan, Develop and Disseminate Health and Safety Information that is Accurate, Accessible, and Actionable, the healthfinder.gov team shared strategies to improve health literacy online as more Americans are going online for health information.  The Health Literacy Online guide was identified as a valuable resource to help participants write clear, actionable health content and design intuitive, user-friendly Web sites.

While the Twitter Chat revealed the multitude of people involved in health literacy efforts and identified several resources, our work is not done. It’s only beginning. And so we also want to know: What are you doing to improve health literacy?

A big “thank you” goes out to the online panel that joined me during the #health Twitter chat, including: About.com’s Joanne Fritz, Patricia Anderson, Health Literacy Month Founder Helen Osbourne, Highlight HEALTH’s Walter Jessen, O’Reilly Radar’s Alex Howard, Craig Lefebvre, Deborah Bosley from the Center for Plain Language, LaDonna Coy and Dana M. Lewis, founder of the weekly #hcsm Twitter chat. To review tweets shared before, during and after the #healthlit Twitter chat, review the online archive

Additional Health Literacy Resources

(From the Gateway to Health Communication and Social Marketing Practice)

Health Literacy Overview – General overview of health literacy.

Health Literacy   [PDF - 2.54MB] – A report providing a summary about health literacy.

Simply Put   [PDF - 1.87MB] – This guide helps you transform complicated scientific and technical information into more understandable communication materials. It provides practical ways to organize information, use language and visuals, and help you create fact sheets, FAQ’s, brochures, booklets, pamphlets, and other materials, including web content.

The image shows comments from six of the participants in the #healthlit Twitter discussion. In total, over 160 individuals and organizations participated and shared over 50 different health literacy resources.  1) @RupalBMehta:  How are we trying to reach "low literate" pops? (Migrant, prisoners, deaf populations, etc) #healthlit. Are we succeeding?   2) @coyenator: Seems like we have abundant links to resources, where do you see disconnects?? #healthlit    3) @HelenOsborne: Plain language is important tool to improve understanding, But HL doesn't begin and end with written words #healthlit   4) @StayHealthyLa: Perhaps #healthlit would benefit from a greater focus/spotlight on the social determinants of health as a precursor.   5)  @SusannahFox: Health literacy and numeracy define the new digital/information divide. Follow #healthlit right now for more info.  6) @UtahDiabetes: If we encourage more to become #epatients, how do we improve their internet literacy/safety? Will it improve their #healthlit?  Thanks @meeas

The image above shows comments from six of the participants in the #healthlit Twitter discussion. In total, over 160 individuals and organizations participated and shared over 50 different health literacy resources. Continue the conversation with us. Share your health literacy story with us below.

Public Comments

Comments listed below are posted by individuals not associated with CDC, unless otherwise stated. These comments do not represent the official views of CDC, and CDC does not guarantee that any information posted by individuals on this blog is correct, and disclaims any liability for any loss or damage resulting from reliance on any such information. Read more about our comment policy ».

  1. October 25, 2010 at 11:49 am ET  -   aparadekto

    Hey, I can’t view your site properly within Opera, I actually hope you look into fixing this.

    Link to this comment

  2. October 25, 2010 at 2:09 pm ET  -   Margaret

    Thanks so much for posting — it is helpful to see how you leveraged this technology (Twitter) to advance a most important issue!

    Link to this comment

  3. October 25, 2010 at 5:03 pm ET  -   Tweets that mention CDC - Blogs - CDC's Health Out Loud – Twitter Me This: How Can We Improve Health Literacy? -- Topsy.com

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by AIDS.gov and healthfinder.gov, Health Literacy MO. Health Literacy MO said: RT @healthfinder: How Can We Improve Health Literacy? (featuring recap of the recent #healthlit chat): http://bit.ly/9x2oX5. #healthlit [...]

    Link to this comment

  4. October 26, 2010 at 10:42 am ET  -   Tweets that mention CDC - Blogs - CDC's Health Out Loud – Twitter Me This: How Can We Improve Health Literacy? -- Topsy.com

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by CDC_eHealth, FallonCommHealthPlan and Elin Silveous, SECRETARÍA DE SALUD. SECRETARÍA DE SALUD said: RT @CDC_eHealth: Twitter Me This – New Health Out Loud blog post recaps recent #healthlit Twitter chat w/ @healthfinder: http://is.gd/gkitG [...]

    Link to this comment

  5. October 26, 2010 at 4:19 pm ET  -   Carmen Gonzalez

    Health literacy is a big issue when it comes to sharing information concerning clinical studies. A lot of information I see in the marketplace misses the mark in reaching the intended audience and assumes understanding of medical terms that are not part of everyday speech of targeted patients. One of the best tools I recently came across is a one-sheet produced by Pfizer, explaining how an ice cream label can be used to help determine if a patient can follow medical instructions (available here http://tinyurl.com/33q8t9b ). It is by identifying where the barriers lie that we can create solutions. I would add that health literacy also means addressing learning styles (audio, verbal, tactal) to achieve real comprehension.

    Link to this comment

  6. October 26, 2010 at 4:49 pm ET  -   Curt Shannon

    Thanks for letting us know about the problem with Opera. We’ll check into it.

    Link to this comment

  7. October 27, 2010 at 12:30 pm ET  -   Sarah Welch

    Health Literacy Missouri will be continuing this exciting discussion tomorrow, with a focus on health literacy messaging. Join us on Twitter at 2:30 p.m. CST under hashtag #healthlit.

    More info here: http://www.healthliteracymissouri.org/calendar/89/90-Twitter-Town-Hall-Health-Literacy-Messages/

    Please join in!

    Link to this comment

  8. October 28, 2010 at 8:44 am ET  -   Way With Words: Coming Back to Health Literacy

    [...] to catch up with Linda Harris of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), who also wrote a great summary post, about a question I [...]

    Link to this comment

  9. October 28, 2010 at 9:44 pm ET  -   Sarah Welch

    Here’s the script from today’s #healthlit chat: http://wthashtag.com/transcript.php?page_id=19220&start_date=2010-10-28&end_date=2010-10-28&export_type=HTML. The discussion starts at 7:30 on this document.

    More highlights to come on our website (www.healthliteracymissouri.org) early next week. Thanks to those who participated! And thanks to Cynthia Baur and the CDC team for being a big contributor to the discussion.

    Link to this comment

  10. November 2, 2010 at 4:13 pm ET  -   Francine Eisner

    How does one access the archives of the HealthLit chat? I don’t see a link. It would be helpful to me to know this, because I am writing a 3-semester essay on Health Literacy. Thank you.

    Link to this comment

  11. November 2, 2010 at 5:15 pm ET  -   Curt Shannon

    Hey Francine. I believe the link you are looking for appears in the last paragraph of the blog, “To review tweets shared before, during and after the #healthlit Twitter chat, review the online archive.” (Online Archive is the link.) It appears just before Additional Health Literacy Resources. If this isn’t what you are looking for, write back and we’ll try to find it.

    Link to this comment

  12. November 5, 2010 at 4:40 pm ET  -   Francine Eisner

    I’ve been following the HealthLit transcript and I notice it’s become quite repetitive. I’m writing a paper on Health Literacy and have a few good web sites to suggest:

    http://www.nih.gov/clearcommunication/healthliteracy.htm

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17270112

    http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/pr2010/pr052-10.shtml

    http://nces.ed.gov/naal/health.asp

    http://nces.ed.gov/ naal/ health_results.asp

    http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/2006483.pdf

    http://www.ahrq.gov/research/cultural.htm#Findings

    http://www.cdc.gov/ features/onlinetraining/

    http://www.thehealthcareblog.com/the_health_care_blog/2010/10/confessions-of-a-health-literacy-expert.html

    Link to this comment

  13. November 16, 2010 at 12:32 am ET  -   Dr Len Lucas

    The major problem is people, patients, have to want to be informed. I am waging a war on obesity in St Peters, MO. I’ve found you have to make it as simple as possible. Only 1 out of 100 people will do a 3 day calorie count.

    Link to this comment

  14. November 24, 2010 at 4:13 pm ET  -   Francine Eisner

    Here are some additional Health Literacy links which you may find useful:

    http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/JournalTopics/Promoting-Health-Literacy.aspx

    http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2009.02347.x/abstract

    http://www.healthliteracyinnovations.com/information/

    http://nnlm.gov/outreach/consumer/hlthlit.html

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39A9oU-gOOA

    http://www.medscape.com/index/list_4859_0

    http://www.healthliteracyinnovations.com/newsletter/

    http://www.google.com/search?q=IOM&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#q=IOM%2BHealth+Literacy&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=BRH&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=iv&ei=GibtTNeWF4H98Aak77WoAg&start=10&sa=N&fp=1&cad=b

    Link to this comment

  15. November 26, 2010 at 6:23 am ET  -   bet365

    how are you!This was a really superb blog!
    I come from milan, I was luck to discover your theme in baidu
    Also I learn a lot in your blog really thank your very much i will come later

    Link to this comment

  16. December 2, 2010 at 4:28 am ET  -   mesothelioma causes symptoms

    Such interesting work in addition to reporting! Keep up the nice work guys

    Link to this comment

  17. December 13, 2010 at 12:15 pm ET  -   sallyb

    I believe prevention is the main thing that should be taught to our children and adults. Free classes in taking better care of your health NOW should be in every community. Wouldn’t that save billions of dollars and lives if people prevented what they could?

    Link to this comment

  18. December 27, 2010 at 3:21 pm ET  -   Francine Eisner

    I have completed the first part of my overview of health literacy, entitled, “Health Literacy: What is It? How Does It Affect Our Health?”

    The final form, which will be a 3-semester thesis, may be published but until that time I am offering copies of Part I to anyone who requests them.

    It was delivered as an Honors Presentation at New York City College of Technology, part of CUNY and is very accessible reading. Anyone who would like a copy can contact me at:
    francine.eisner@mail.citytech.cuny.edu

    Link to this comment

  19. February 19, 2011 at 9:22 am ET  -   Melanie Zoltan

    I think that health literacy needs to take on a number of factors, from low education among the population to *over* education among folks who turn to “Dr. Google” and can’t discern which online sources are valid or not. Can 140 characters make a difference? That’s the big question with Twitter and other forms of social media.

    Link to this comment

  20. March 2, 2011 at 6:32 pm ET  -   Olympia Chiropractor

    I think the internet offers countless ways to improve health literacy. I have started using social media to increase health literacy in my practice and local community with a health blog where I review current health research topics.
    Wellness:An Evidence-Based Lifestyle

    Link to this comment

  21. March 18, 2011 at 10:32 am ET  -   Michelle Wheeler, Student Nurse RVCC

    A group of 5 student nurses have been trying to bridge the gap of health literacy in our community. We have started with one doctor’s office that has agreed to allow all of her consent forms to be made available in MP3 format for her patients. She then offers the MP3 player along with the paper form to the patient simutaneously. Once listening to the form, the patient is encouraged to ask questions, and then sign the consent form.

    Has anyone else tried to use a nonwritten form of communication for consent and medical forms? If so what has been the outcome?

    Link to this comment

  22. April 11, 2011 at 11:38 am ET  -   Maria

    To be honest, today there is plenty of very useful information found on the Internet and people have much more oportunities to improve thier health in a safe way and become more health-literate, on their own.
    However, what puts me at a loss is the great number of clinical studies because making right conclusions can be quite difficult soemtimes. I have rheumatoid arthritis and I came across these studies:
    http://www.arthritistoday.org/news/arthritis-drug-flu.php
    http://leflunomide.me/rheumatoid-arthritis-drug-combats-the-flu/

    Well, it was a bit difficlut for me to understand how a drug that supresses immune system saves from flu. I’m afraid people who need more education can misuse information of this kind.

    Link to this comment

  23. May 25, 2011 at 6:53 pm ET  -   Augustine Marguez

    the post is great, thank you

    Link to this comment

  24. June 3, 2011 at 12:19 pm ET  -   Clare

    I agree with the above post of sallyb. Health promotion and disease prevention would be a much healthier tactic as well as much more financially advantageous. In nusing school, we emphasize these primary interventions through health education. We are attempting to focus on an “upstream” approach and stop the problems before they start…. or lessen their detremental effects. Unfortunately, our current health care system is very reactive and not proactive. We don’t intervene until the disease state/condition manifests itself. We as a society, but also as nurses, need to work in pushing our healthcare system towards this preventative, upstream, proactive approach. This would result in a tremendously healthier (and happier) society.

    Link to this comment

  25. June 26, 2011 at 11:17 pm ET  -   SteveSmith

    Hi,
    Great information posted here. Really very much interesting.. Thanks for sharing..

    Link to this comment

  26. July 24, 2011 at 9:24 am ET  -   Sok Noni

    Noni…

    Hi there, i read your blog from time to time and i own a similar one and i was just wondering if you get a lot of spam remarks? If so how do you reduce it, any plugin or anything you can recommend? I get so much lately it’s driving me mad so any suppo…

    Link to this comment

  27. August 22, 2011 at 7:49 am ET  -   rtyecript

    I really liked the article, and the very cool blog

    Link to this comment

  28. September 30, 2011 at 1:00 pm ET  -   Health Literacy Series: Year 2 « Engaging The Patient

    [...] what’s in store. Later in the month, watch for articles by Gary Schwitzer of Health News Review, Cynthia Baur of the CDC, Dr. Clifford Coleman, R.V. Rikard, Dr. Rima Rudd, and [...]

    Link to this comment

  29. November 8, 2011 at 5:14 am ET  -   sabrina clements

    Wow.. great information.. Thank you so much for sharing..

    Link to this comment

  30. January 2, 2012 at 11:52 am ET  -   Lashawnda Hoyle

    It’s actually a nice and useful piece of info. I’m glad that you just shared this useful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.

    Link to this comment

  31. January 5, 2012 at 4:14 pm ET  -   Michael Tibus

    Personally, I feel word of mouth is the best avenue for training or educating individuals on health topics and helping them to be literate when it comes to health issues. I do agree that Twitter and other social media are excellent ways but from my experience nothing beats the spoken word, one on one relationship. Additionally, I also use a blog that I find very resourceful. I try to get a feel for what people are interested in and write about it.

    Michael Tibus
    http://blog.the2in1initiative.com

    Link to this comment

  32. January 26, 2012 at 2:14 pm ET  -   Maria Shuva

    Very interesting story!! Great work with this… Really impressed at the hard work and dedication you guys have put in!!! It’s a cool concept.
    Thanks
    Maria Shuva

    Link to this comment

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