Category: We Heart Health Literacy

We probably don’t have to tell you, dear readers, that there have been some very chilly days as of late. With much of the country walloped by Arctic air and wintry precipitation, we’ve been spending lots of time engaged in one of America’s favorite pastimes: watching television.

So this week we’re suggesting that you check out Call the Midwife (currently on Netflix), the perfect January binge for public health professionals. The show isn’t new — quite the reverse, actually: It’s already been going for an impressive 13 seasons, and it shows no sign of slowing down yet. It fact, BBC has renewed it for at least 2 more seasons.  

And we’re glad to hear it because we ❤️ Call the Midwife! This heartwarming British drama follows a group of nurse midwives working in the underserved Poplar district of London’s East End in the 1950s and 60s. The show was originally based on the very real memoirs of Jennifer Worth, a nurse midwife who trained in Poplar, arriving to home births on her trusty bicycle.

And while the primary duty of the nurse midwives was to provide obstetric care, their work extended far beyond babies. We also see them running community-based health clinics where they counsel patients and distribute health information (hello, health literacy). And they pay close attention to health-adjacent goings-on in the community. In fact, Call the Midwife could be a PSA for community-based public health/health care approaches. The nurse midwives get to know the families they serve in their own homes, in their own neighborhoods. They earn the trust of people in Poplar — they are witnesses to their patients’ needs, challenges, and relationships. They watch, they learn, and they approach their work with humility and respect for the people they serve.  

You could also say Call the Midwife is something of a love letter to vaccines. We see the devastating effects of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, standard fare in communities like Poplar at the time. We see the nurse midwives promote the benefits of new vaccines as they hold vaccine clinics in the community (trusted messengers, anyone?). And we see the impact of vaccines unfold. The show highlights the importance of other forms of preventive care, too — like cervical cancer screening. Actually, it touches on pretty much everything you can think of in the health space, including some things you don’t often see in hit television shows — like female genital mutilation and incest.

And on a final note, the nurse midwives live at an Anglican convent during their time serving the people of Poplar. We hope you’ll enjoy the dynamic as eager nurse midwives mix with a delightful group of nuns — some, midwives themselves — who don’t always condone the secular women’s life choices.

The bottom line: Call the Midwife is packed with public health goodness, critical health care lessons, and health literacy highlights.

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Post about it on X: This week, @CommunicateHlth is bringing you the latest installment of the We ❤️ Health Literacy TV Club — all about Call the Midwife: https://bit.ly/42g7pQk #HealthLiteracy

If your news feed is anything like ours, dear readers, you’ve probably seen plenty of headlines about Ozempic. This popular medication is part of an emerging class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists that are revolutionizing type 2 diabetes treatment. These drugs can also help people lose weight — and they’re changing the way many health professionals think about, talk about, and treat obesity. Meanwhile, patients are facing big decisions about these medications at a time when they’re so new, even the experts don’t have all the answers.

Sounds like a case for health communicators! So in today’s edition of Health Comm Headlines, we’re looking past the hype to explore how Ozempic and similar drugs are affecting people’s everyday lives. Onto the headlines!

• FDA Approves Zepbound, a New Obesity Drug That Will Take On Wegovy (NPR)
  While Ozempic dominated headlines in 2023, pharmaceutical companies are racing to develop even more effective diabetes and weight loss medications. In November of last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Eli Lilly’s new weight loss drug, Zepbound. (It’s already sold as a type 2 diabetes medication under the name Mounjaro.) In clinical trials, people who took Zepbound lost an average of 20% of their body weight — results on par with bariatric surgery.
• Obesity in the Age of Ozempic (Vox)
  Over the past decade, conversations about weight stigma, diet culture, and bias in health care have entered the mainstream, slowly shifting long-held assumptions about the relationship between weight and health. With the arrival of Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications, however, a new narrative has taken center stage: Obesity is a chronic health condition that needs to be managed with lifelong treatment. Some people who are taking GLP-1 meds struggle to reconcile these conflicting ideas about weight and figure out the best way to care for their health.
• Supply Problems and Insurance Issues Make Popular Weight-Loss Drugs Hard to Get (AP)
  Imagine wondering “Will I be able to get my medicine this time?” every time you need a refill. Due to surging demand, pharmacies can’t keep GLP-1 meds in stock, leaving many people scrambling. Pricing is another barrier: These drugs can cost more than $1,000 per month out of pocket, and some insurance companies won’t cover them (or will only cover them for people with type 2 diabetes). These challenges have sparked ethical debates about who “should” have access to GLP-1 medications. If these drugs are only accessible to people who have certain health insurance plans — or thousands of dollars to spend on meds — health disparities linked to diabetes and obesity may continue to grow.
• We Need to Talk About Teens and Weight-Loss Drugs (Romper)
  In 2023, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released new guidelines for treating childhood obesity, noting that medication can be an effective treatment option for some teens who’ve struggled to lose weight through other methods. The topic of weight loss medication for teens raises complex questions about consent and body autonomy. To add even more complexity, we don’t know how GLP-1 meds may affect people’s health years down the road. Do people who lose weight on these medications really need to continue taking them for the rest of their lives? For many, the long-term plan is unclear.
• How a Canadian Scientist and a Venomous Lizard Helped Pave the Way for Ozempic (Global News)
  If you’re not tired of reading about GLP-1 medications yet, join us for this fascinating look back at scientific history. This article chronicles the breakthroughs that led to Ozempic’s development. (Spoiler alert: A Gila monster plays a key role.)

The bottom line: Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications are revolutionizing type 2 diabetes treatment — and changing the way health professionals approach obesity. As health communicators, we can help people make sense of these new medications and make informed decisions.

Continue reading “Health Comm Headlines: Let’s Talk About Ozempic”

Happy New Year, dear readers! Here at We ❤️ Health Literacy HQ, we’re looking forward to another year of health comm adventures — and we’re thrilled that you’re along for the ride with us. To start us off, we compiled just a few of the health topics that made headlines in 2023 — and added a couple things to watch for in 2024. Enjoy!

• The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ended. On May 11, 2023, the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ended. While experts agree COVID is here to stay, this move signaled a shift toward managing the disease long term. It also meant changes to the way we track COVID cases — from relying on test results to monitoring community spread through wastewater surveillance. For us health communicators, COVID will continue to be top of mind — whether it’s thinking about what learning to live with COVID means for people with disabilities and chronic health conditions, helping folks navigate access to tests and treatments, or following the latest research on long COVID.
• The fight for reproductive rights continues. 2023 saw a number of U.S. states (further) restricting abortion access. As a result, states where abortion remains legal have seen a rise in people seeking care — and many are taking steps to expand access to this essential health care service. In 2024, we’ll be following the Supreme Court case on restricting access to mifepristone, a commonly used abortion pill — and of course, we’re keeping a close eye on the 2024 election and what the results could mean for reproductive rights and other important public health issues.
• Generative AI (artificial intelligence) is changing health care. In 2023, some went so far as to announce an AI revolution in health care, while experts and policymakers struggled to install guardrails and regulate this new technology. Whether you’re excited about the possibilities or feeling a bit apprehensive, one thing’s for sure — we’ll be watching closely to see how technological advancements continue to transform health care (and health comm) in 2024.
• There are new ways to protect against RSV. RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, causes thousands of hospitalizations and deaths every year — and there are finally new ways to protect against it. In 2023, the first RSV vaccine was approved for pregnant people to help protect their babies from RSV. There’s also a new antibody treatment to prevent RSV in babies and toddlers, as well as a vaccine for adults 60 years and older. And speaking of good news…
• According to the latest stats from the American Cancer Society, cancer deaths in the United States have fallen by 33% since 1991. The biggest drop happened in cervical cancer rates, largely thanks to the introduction of the HPV vaccine (put that in your health comm toolbox for the next time you’re writing about how vaccines save lives). In 2024, we’ll continue to promote the benefits of cancer screenings and vaccination — and share resources to help people access preventive care.

The bottom line: It’s bound to be another eventful year — and we’ll be here advocating for the clear communication and access to resources that everyone deserves to protect their health.

Continue reading “Health Comm Headlines: 2023 in Review”

Over the past few years, self-diagnosis has become a hot topic. Social media platforms like TikTok have created new ways for people to learn about disabilities, chronic illnesses, and mental health conditions. With all this content about oft-stigmatized topics at our fingertips, some health professionals have shared concerns that more people are diagnosing themselves via online research.

If your health literacy alarm bells are going off, dear readers, you’re in good company. As health communicators, we know there’s a ton of misinformation on social media! And when people are overwhelmed or have limited context about a topic, they may take social content at face value (see also: health literacy is a state, not a trait). An inaccurate self-diagnosis could steer someone down the wrong path, leading them to seek care that doesn’t match their needs. Plus, people need a formal diagnosis to access some treatment options, accommodations, and other resources.

So, with all this misinformation online, it’s tempting to dismiss self-diagnosis. But while we don’t want to minimize the risks, we think it’s worth considering the reasons why people may self-diagnose. Because of bias in our health care system, it can be harder for many people to get accurate diagnoses, including people of color, women, transgender or nonbinary people, and people at a higher weight. Also, getting a diagnosis for tricky-to-identify conditions often means seeing multiple specialists, which can be complicated — and very expensive. And for many people, especially in rural areas, it can be hard to even find a specialist close to home.

For some people, self-diagnosis can be a stepping stone to a formal diagnosis. Others may choose not to pursue a diagnosis because having that “label” on their medical record could lead to discrimination. For example, some U.S. states have passed laws that restrict access to gender-affirming care for people with specific diagnoses. Until and unless medical discrimination becomes a thing of the past, self-diagnosis will continue to fill unmet needs. If we don’t acknowledge that reality, we risk alienating people who may already feel unheard.

So what’s a health communicator to do when self-diagnosis enters the conversation? We have some ideas:

• Meet people where they are. Acknowledge common barriers to diagnosis like bias in the health care system, long wait times, and expensive assessments.
• Stick to the facts. If you’re addressing misinformation, focus on sharing reliable info — and avoid commenting on people’s personal experiences.
• Share guidance to help people advocate for themselves at the doctor’s office.
• Explain the benefits and risks of pursuing a formal diagnosis so readers can make an informed decision based on their own situation.
• Suggest ways to make diagnosis more affordable, like sliding scale providers or organizations that provide funding for people seeking a diagnosis.
• Recommend specialists who have experience working with your audience, like doctors who specialize in diagnosing learning disabilities in adults, for example.
• Clarify who qualifies for services. If your organization provides services for people with specific health conditions, note if people need a formal diagnosis to qualify.

If we come to the conversation with empathy, we can build trust and empower our audiences to make informed decisions about seeking a diagnosis.

The bottom line: Self-diagnosis is a nuanced topic — but by addressing barriers to diagnosis and approaching the conversation with empathy, we can empower our audiences to make informed decisions that are right for them.

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Post about it on X: This week, @CommunicateHlth explores how health communicators can address #SelfDiagnosis with #Empathy: https://bit.ly/41eB2kx #DEI #HealthComm #HealthLiteracy

If you’re like us, dear readers, your consumption of TV and movies increases around this time of year. Because what’s better than a warm beverage, a cozy blanket, and a bingeable TV show? And that’s why this week, we’re bringing you a (somewhat overdue) recommendation for a show that you don’t want to miss: Netflix’s Sex Education.

The fourth and final season (or series for our friends in the UK) of this poignant and often hilarious show was released in September. It takes place in a small pastoral British town and follows an ensemble of teenagers (plus some of their corresponding adults) navigating school, family, friends, romance, and — of course — sex.

There’s a lot to like about Sex Education, but let’s start with something you might guess is top of mind for us: the show is basically an advocate for accurate, inclusive sexual health info but in the form of television! Otis, arguably the main character, learns the value of comprehensive sex ed from his sex educator mother (played by the unarguably brilliant Gillian Anderson). In the first season, Otis joins forces with edgy classmate and soon-to-be-love-interest Maeve to set up a sex ed “clinic” at his school where he talks STDs, tricky intimate relationship dynamics, how pleasure fits into sexual health, and everything in between. Things take off from there.

As mentioned, Sex Education certainly takes a comedic approach — but it also includes realistic portrayals of things that are far from funny: sexual assault, gender dysphoria, postpartum depression, disability, bullying, homophobia (internalized and not), addiction, class issues, and crises of faith to name just some. We ❤️ to see mainstream media take on these topics — many of which have traditionally been ignored entirely or represented via unrealistic and potentially harmful stereotypes. Note the intimacy scene between Isaac, who uses a wheelchair, and Maeve in season 3. We can’t think of many — any? — comparable depictions.

We’ll note that reviews of the last season have been mixed after almost universally glowing reactions to the first 3. Some critics have panned it as a parody of itself in the end — too unrealistic, too many new and underdeveloped characters whose sole purpose seems to be to represent a specific identity — essentially, too “on the nose.” We’ll let you decide what you think about that part.

For ours, we still enjoyed the vibrant, joyful, and inclusive wrap-up to this super enjoyable series that embraces tough and important topics with such spirit, charm, and care.

The bottom line: Watch Sex Education for, well, a lot of reasons. Its emphasis on the need for clear and inclusive sexual health information is a good start! 

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Post about it on X: This week, @CommunicateHlth is chatting about Sex Education. If you haven’t tuned in yet, the show has a lot going for it — starting with its emphasis on the need for clear, inclusive sexual health info. Read more: https://bit.ly/47IgFPu #HealthLiteracy

In 2021, over 200 medical journals released a statement warning world leaders that failure to address our warming climate is the “greatest threat to global public health.” The science, the authors write, is crystal clear: Climate change puts us at risk for “catastrophic harm to health that will be impossible to reverse.”

What kind of harm are we talking about exactly? You probably already know this, dear readers, but here are just a few examples of the link between climate change and public health: Climate change can exacerbate chronic diseases, lengthen allergy season, create extreme heat and weather events, and help diseases that spread through vectors or contaminated food and water thrive.

And just as with many other public health issues, we know that the burden of climate change is not distributed evenly. Factors like where we live and what we do for work (hello, SDOH!) can impact climate resilience, or how well we can prepare for and respond to climate change-related problems. Children, pregnant people, older people, people with chronic illnesses, lower-income communities, communities of color, outdoor workers, and people living on coastlines and in floodplains are all disproportionately affected by the health implications of climate change.

With that as a backdrop, we wanted to highlight a resource from the American Public Health Association (APHA). APHA’s Climate Change, Health, and Equity Guide was written for local health departments, but it includes plenty of food for thought and helpful takeaways for public health professionals outside the health department setting, health communicators, and more.

In particular, we’d like to draw your attention to the following 2 sections, which we found to be really helpful and compelling:

• Climate and Health Communications — Of course we’re going to be fond of this section, which is all about communicating climate health messaging to consumers and policymakers. For example, you’ll find tips for integrating messages related to climate and health into routine public health communications.
• Health Equity and Climate Change — This section includes a framework that explores the critical connections between climate change, health, and equity. It also dives into topics like community climate resilience, intergenerational equity, and more.

When it comes to climate change, there’s a lot of work to do. As health communicators, we can help by communicating clearly about how climate change is affecting our health. In our communications, we can also acknowledge that some groups are at greater risk for negative consequences due to factors outside their control. And we can advocate for solutions that give everyone their best shot at living a healthy life.

The skills we hone every day — simplifying complex info, using plain language, and communicating with empathy — will be invaluable tools as we work together to keep ourselves and future generations healthy and safe.

The bottom line: As health communicators, it’s our job to communicate clearly (and often!) about the connection between climate change and public health. APHA’s Climate Change, Health, and Equity Guide can help.

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Post about it on X: #HealthComm professionals need to communicate clearly (and often!) about the link between #ClimateChange and #PublicHealth. @PublicHealth’s Climate Change, Health, and Equity Guide can help, says @CommunicateHlth: https://bit.ly/3SwtA1V

It’s the spookiest time of year — Halloween is just around the corner! If you find yourself at a loss at what to wear to your company Halloween party, don’t despair, dear readers — we’ve got you covered. Below, you’ll find some scary costume ideas that will have all your public health and health comm colleagues screaming with fright.

• The Pseudoscience Influencer. What the Pseudoscience Influencer lacks in scientific evidence, they make up for in conviction — passing out misinformation like Halloween candy. They have opinions on just about any health topic, which they promote confidently to their inexplicably large social media following. To create your Pseudoscience Influencer costume, pick up the trendiest lounge set you can find and keep calm and carry on “correcting” your colleagues as they try to share evidence-based info. After all, most health problems are solvable with the right juice cleanse, right?
• The Jargon Jack-O’-Lantern. Who doesn’t love an ornately decorated pumpkin to get into the Halloween spirit? Well, in this case, possibly your colleagues. To get your Jargon Jack-O’-Lantern get-up ready, you simply need to gather an all-orange outfit of some kind, a sharpie, and a brown hat. Next, use said sharpie to cover your orange outfit in the most hair-raising, spine-chilling medical and public health jargon terms you can conjure up. Really go for it, and you’ll basically be like a traveling haunted house for health comm folks — everywhere they look it’s “contraindication” and “utilize” and “subcutaneous,” oh my!
• The Pathogen. Perhaps the most terrifying of all, the Pathogen attaches itself to any gathering of 2 or more people — lurking, uninvited, waiting for a chance to spoil everyone’s fun. To avoid detection, the Pathogen wears neutral-colored clothing. But be ready to mutate, err, pivot at any moment — because just when people think you’re finally gone, you pop back up wearing some ever-so-slightly different accessories.

The bottom line: With our costume ideas, you’re guaranteed to be the talk of every public health Halloween party — though you might not be invited back next year.

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Post about it on X: Not sure what to be for #Halloween? @CommunicateHlth’s got you covered! Check out these scary costume ideas for #PublicHealth and #HealthComm professionals: https://bit.ly/3QxOY5C #HealthLiteracy

We don’t have to tell you, dear readers, that the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to distrust in public health. When scientific knowledge and health guidance evolve quickly, people often feel confused or misled. Plus, the rise of misinformation has made it hard to tell fact from fiction. And let’s not forget the polarized political climate and rapidly evolving technology (generative AI, anyone?). With this recipe for information overload, it’s no wonder many people have tuned out, lost trust, or both.

Systemic injustice plays a role, too. People from historically marginalized communities — including people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities — may have experienced discrimination and mistreatment from health care providers. And in trying to teach people about health conditions, some experts have shared harmful messages about these groups and others, contributing to stigma in our society.

So where do we go from here? The good news is that health communicators can help rebuild trust by communicating with empathy: creating communication materials that truly reflect our audiences’ perspectives, needs, and lived experiences. And though we’ve featured these tips in other contexts, we thought it was worth rounding them up here.

So if building trust is your number 1 priority, here are a few ways to get started:

• Learn from your audience. No time for user research? Exploring resources created by and for your audience is a great way to learn.
• Partner with trusted organizations. People are more likely to trust health info when it comes from an organization they already know and feel connected to.
• Be honest about what we know and don’t know. To address confusing U-turns, acknowledge that our understanding of health issues is bound to change as researchers learn more about the topic.
• Use terms your audience uses. Follow your audience’s lead on terms related to gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, and disability. Using your audience’s preferred terms shows that you respect their identity and experience.
• Listen with an open mind. Take time to reflect on criticism, even when it’s hard to hear. Be willing to pivot if your communication strategy isn’t resonating with your audience.
• Acknowledge injustice. For example, when you’re writing about health risks, name how racism plays a role in health outcomes. To take this a step further, consider acknowledging harms that your audience may have experienced, like discrimination in health care.

We know trust is a complex topic, and there’s a lot to unpack here. How are you working to build (or rebuild) trust with your audiences? As always, you can respond to this email or find us on social (LinkedIn or X) and let us know what you think.

The bottom line: We can help rebuild trust in public health by communicating with empathy: creating communication materials that truly reflect our audiences’ perspectives, needs, and lived experiences.

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Post about it on X: This week, @CommunicateHlth explores how health communicators can help rebuild trust in #PublicHealth by communicating with empathy: https://bit.ly/3Q1OFhZ #DEI #HealthComm #HealthLiteracy

If you’re anything like us, dear readers, you have many thoughts about generative AI’s role in health comm. Generative AI (short for artificial intelligence) uses source content, like a database or websites, to create new content. And while some folks think it has great potential to improve health comm, others have serious concerns.

At this point, we have lots of questions — which is why we’ve been eagerly watching for articles that might have some answers. Today, we’re sharing a few of them with you in the latest installment of our Health Comm Headlines series. We hope that they spark discussion with your fellow health communicators. And as always, we’d love to hear what you think — so reach out if you have comments!

• Distilling the Promises of AI in Global Health from the Hype (Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs)
  This piece gets real about generative AI’s potential in public health and health comm — and its limitations. The article features a fun example of AI-generated content: a song aiming to get men in the Democratic Republic of the Congo more involved in family planning. But it also discusses serious issues, particularly the fact that AI relies on data and some of that data is biased. As the author puts it: “Generative AI may provide the starting point; however, human input is still needed to quality check and provide expertise into context. It is naïve, though, to think these tools won’t factor into future content development.” We couldn’t agree more.

• How AI Is Helping Doctors Communicate with Patients (Association of American Medical Colleges)
  This article focuses on health care’s use of chatbots — computer programs that simulate conversations with people. It notes that chatbots interacting with patients have 2 main purposes: monitoring health conditions and answering questions. For example, it describes a chatbot service that reaches out to different types of patients, like people who just returned home after surgery and people with chronic conditions. The idea is that these types of services can help make sure people are getting the care they need — like by alerting a doctor to call them for a follow-up — if their answers indicate a health concern. (While that is definitely promising, it’s also important to keep in mind that chatbots’ track record is far from perfect.)

• A.I. May Someday Work Medical Miracles. For Now, It Helps Do Paperwork. (New York Times)
  This piece makes the case that currently, one of generative AI’s biggest benefits in health care is that it can… reduce paperwork. While that doesn’t sound overly exciting, it’s actually a pretty big deal and could potentially go a long way toward improving patient-provider communication and reducing provider burnout. As the article explains, doctors spend a lot of time — during patient visits and after hours — taking notes and logging info in electronic health records. But AI can do this for them, which can free up doctors’ time and improve the quality of doctor visits. The article describes an AI tool that not only takes notes during visits but also sends patients a plain language summary immediately afterward. You can bet that piqued our interest!

• AI Might Be Listening During Your Next Health Appointment (Axios)
  This article is also about AI tools that can take notes during doctor visits and provide summaries, but rather than highlighting these tools’ benefits, it focuses on a potential drawback: privacy concerns. For example, the article says advocates are concerned that these tools are being released with little oversight and without standards for notifying patients about their use. Also this: “AI systems are trained on large amounts of real data, raising the question about whether patients’ data may be used for such training in the future.” These are valid concerns that we should all take seriously.

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Post about it on X: In their latest #HealthComm Headlines post, the @CommunicateHlth team rounds up food for thought on generative #AI and the future of #HealthCommunication: https://bit.ly/3RWc6M4