Category: We Heart Health Literacy

Get this: tobacco use is still the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. Cigarette smoking causes about 1 in 5 deaths each year — and that includes deaths caused by breathing in secondhand smoke.

Tobacco use and quitting smoking can be tricky topics to cover — but it’s super important that we do it well, dear readers. Here are a few things to consider when writing plain language content about smoking and tobacco use.

• Be compassionate. Quitting smoking is a journey, and that journey is different for everyone. So keep your tone empathetic and avoid sounding condescending or judgmental. Remember, we’re talking about an addiction — try to put yourself in the shoes of people who smoke and use that perspective to inspire them to quit.
• Use person-first language. Rely on phrases like “people who smoke” or “people who use tobacco.” Skip terms like “smokers” or “users,” which imply that using tobacco defines who someone is.
• Keep it brief. When you’re writing for people who are trying to quit smoking, keep in mind that your readers may be dealing with withdrawal symptoms like stress, anxiety, and mood swings. Since mental and physical challenges can affect people’s ability to process information (hello, health literacy!), home in on the need-to-know content that will motivate readers to meet their goals — and skip the nice-to-know information for now.
• Focus on the benefits. Quitting smoking has many health benefits. Try clearer skin, a healthier heart, slowed-down lung damage, a stronger immune system, and breaking the cycle of addiction. That’s just to name a few! Emphasizing the benefits of quitting can be a helpful reminder — and an extra push — for people who want to quit smoking.
• Remember friends and family. Friends and family members can play a huge role by encouraging their loved ones to quit smoking — so consider creating some content for them, too. Their support can go a long way in helping people who smoke kick the habit for good.

The bottom line: When it comes to communicating about smoking and tobacco use, meet your readers where they are.

Tweet about it: Check out @CommunicateHlth’s #HealthLit tips for communicating about smoking and tobacco use: https://bit.ly/2AEMvyN

Dear readers,

What on earth would we do without you? Well, at the moment, 2 things come immediately to mind. Without you, we would not:

• Have the best time writing (and doodling!) We ❤ Health Literacy posts for your viewing pleasure every week
• Write a health literacy-themed spin on Auld Lang Syne to share our happy holiday wishes with you (see below)

Whew, it’s a really good thing you’re all here.

Happy holidays to you and yours from all of us here at We ❤ Health Literacy Headquarters. We hope you enjoy the song — and our inspired “dance” moves. Cheers!

Here at We ❤ Health Literacy Headquarters, we work hard to eliminate big, scary words from health writing. So today, we’re urging you to take the word “contraception” out of your content-writing vocabulary. Why? Because there’s almost always a more conversational or descriptive term you can use.

Before you use the word “contraception,” ask yourself how often you hear people say the following things:

• “I’d like a prescription for contraception.”
• “I’m going to the pharmacy to pick up my contraception.”
• “Oh no, I’m out of contraception!”
• “I’m trying to get pregnant, so I’ve stopped taking my contraception.”

See, dear readers? Most people just don’t use the word “contraception” in everyday speech. So when you write about this topic, it’s better to use the terms that your audience would, like:

• Birth control pills
• IUDs
• Condoms

If you’re talking about contraception, you may be promoting or describing certain methods, like the ones listed above. But if you’re talking about it in general, just say “birth control.”

In any case, be sure you know your audience, understand what they’re looking for, and use terms they’re familiar with. When your readers are comfortable with the words you’re using and can easily understand the information, they’re better able to make positive health decisions.

The bottom line: “Contraception” is a big, unwelcoming word — so use terms that are more descriptive or conversational instead.

Tweet about it: Swapping the word “contraception” for simpler, more familiar terms is important for #HealthLit, says @CommunicateHlth: https://bit.ly/2V1ddKx

As you know, dear readers, people use data to make important decisions about their health every day. But the information we get from data analysis is often complex and hard to understand — especially if it’s talking about numbers.

Enter data visualization! Put simply, data visualization means using images (like graphs, charts, and other visual elements) to help people understand data. There are many things that contribute to an effective data visualization, including how the information is organized and what the visualization is called. Today, we’re focusing on color.

One way to use color is to build on the associations people have with certain hues. This map of fall foliage predictions uses green for “no change” and red for “peak.” These choices match our intuitive understanding of what the labels mean, which makes the visualization effective and easy to grasp.

To show trends or a range of numbers, try using color gradients. The map below shows how many gun laws exist in each state, with lighter shades indicating lower numbers and darker shades indicating higher numbers.

If you’re going with a gradient, keep in mind that color contrast can be an accessibility issue. To increase accessibility, add keyboard focus and mouse hover states with text descriptions. You can also incorporate texture or pattern differences (in addition to color changes) to make the distinctions extra apparent!

You can also use a lack of color help visualize data. For example — in the image below showing the proportion of people who use technology to track their health, notice how the one colorful person stands out.

To summarize, keep these tips in mind when visualizing data:

• Choose colors that make sense for the data you’re presenting
• Use color gradients to show trends or a range of numbers — and add pattern or texture differences to increase accessibility
• Add keyboard focus and mouse hover states with text descriptions to support understanding
• Contrast bold colors with neutral colors to emphasize information

The bottom line: Colors are your allies for helping people understand data visualizations.

Tweet about it: Data can be complicated, but colors can help! @CommunicateHlth talks about data visualization for #HealthLit: https://bit.ly/2zWlxCK

In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made a front page-worthy decision that’s still worth noting today. In response to efforts by HIV activists, CDC decided to officially update its term for sex without a condom — from “unprotected sex” to “condomless sex.” (We love this so much that we almost want to use all caps to tell you how much. But we won’t.)

Why did this decision thrill us here at We ❤ Health Literacy Headquarters, even though the major news outlets in this country don’t think health literacy is front-page news? Because, dear readers, when people say “unprotected sex” in health information, what they’re actually talking about is sex without a condom.

“Unprotected” is a vague — and potentially misleading — term where sex is concerned. Consider these scenarios:

• A woman who’s on the pill has sex with a man, and they don’t use a condom. She may be protected from pregnancy, but she could still get an STD. Did she have protected sex or unprotected sex?
• A man has sex with his monogamous partner who’s HIV-positive. They don’t use a condom, but his partner has an extremely low level of HIV in his blood — and they’re both taking preventive medicines. Would it really be accurate to say that’s unprotected sex?

Interesting questions, right? And maybe even a little loaded since the word “unprotected” can convey a bit of judgment or blame — if you’re doing something “unprotected,” the implication is you’re being careless.

So CDC has sent the vague “unprotected sex” packing, replacing it with exactly what they mean: “condomless sex.” Although we prefer the phrase “sex without a condom,” this change is a huge improvement — and will hopefully be adopted by every sex ed teacher in the land.

This is a prime example of health literacy in action — and why it matters.

The bottom line: “Condomless sex” is more specific than “unprotected sex,” and it takes away the blame.

Tweet about it: This week from @CommunicateHlth: when you’re talking about sex without a condom, follow the CDC’s lead and say “condomless sex” instead of “unprotected sex”! https://bit.ly/2zKTJRF

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “body mapping”? Do you picture an anatomical diagram — or perhaps a full-body tattoo? If so, you’re not too far off, dear readers.

Body mapping is a qualitative research method in which each participant makes a life-size drawing or painting of their own body. After making an outline, they fill in this “body map” with images, symbols, and words. By the end, they’ve created an image that represents multiple aspects of their embodied experience and their unique view of life.

Jane Solomon pioneered body mapping as an art therapy method while working with HIV-positive people in southern Africa. The technique has since grown into a versatile tool for storytelling, teaching, communication, and research that’s used around the world.

How can body mapping inform public health research? You may want to consider this method if you’re planning a community-based project dealing with health indicators or perceived health risks. It’s a good way to gather data about participants’ personal health journeys — as well as the social, political, and economic influences in their lives.

There are many ways to do body mapping, but Solomon’s guidelines list 3 main elements:

• The body map
• A testimonio, or short first-person narrative
• A key for interpreting the images and words on the body map

We see body mapping as a win-win for participants and researchers. The process empowers individuals to share their stories and encourages them to reflect on their health choices or goals. And if you’re a researcher, it can uncover information you never even knew to ask about.

Plus, since the technique focuses on images instead of words, it’s great for overcoming language barriers or accommodating a range of health literacy skills. Count us in!

The bottom line: Body mapping can lead to rich insights and powerful data about participants’ experiences.

Tweet about it: What’s so special about body mapping? @CommunicateHlth discusses how this type of visual storytelling can enhance #HealthLit and research: https://bit.ly/2Rt9lA8

Here at We ❤ Health Literacy Headquarters, we spend a lot of time doing a combination of writing web content and thinking about user needs. As part of this, we always want to make sure we’re not forcing readers to consume more information than they want — but we also don’t want to leave them hungry for more. We want to offer the “just right” amount of information (you know, Goldilocks and porridge and whatnot).

But how do you give many different people a “just right” amount of information? The answer comes from an article by Leslie O’Flahavan called The Bite, the Snack, and the Meal. Sadly, this is not an excuse for midday munchies in the name of health literacy. But it is a great way to think about breaking down content into differently sized “servings” to meet users’ needs.

The article’s author says that, just like guests who come to a dinner party with a variety of appetites, readers are likely interested in different amounts of information on a webpage. The solution? Offer various “serving sizes” of content! Here’s how it works.

• Put the key message in the header. Instead of “HPV Vaccine Guidelines for Parents,” try something like “Get Your Child the HPV Vaccine.” This first nugget of information is the bite. A user who only wants the most important information from a page won’t need to look past the header! Brilliant.
• Put your main message up front. Including a brief summary at the beginning of the page gives readers an introduction to the topic and skips details that some users don’t want. This is perfect for people who want more than a bite but not the whole meal — they want a snack.
• Include detailed content and links to more resources. Some users want the details — all of ’em. Keep these folks in mind when you’re drafting the full webpage. You can even include links to pages with more details or about related topics. And yep, dear readers, this is the meal.

You can also use “bite, snack, meal” to think through content strategy — how related health communication products interact with each other.

For example, let’s say you’re developing an interactive infographic. The infographic, which is relatively easy to digest, is a great snack. You might also create social media posts with key stats from the infographic to serve as bites. And it’s always good to include a link to a webpage that has additional information — that makes the meal.

The bottom line: Keep “bite, snack, meal” in mind to make sure everyone gets what they want out of your health materials — no more, no less.

Tweet about it: It’s tough to predict how hungry folks are for #HealthLit info! @CommunicateHlth dishes on a strategy for satisfying every appetite: https://bit.ly/2OAeeVE

Here at We ❤ Health Literacy Headquarters, we really ❤ research. This surely comes as no surprise to you, dear readers — we’ve written about loads of research-related topics (where to test! how to test for less! omg there are so many testing techniques!). Today we’re talking about communicating research results.

Picture this: you’re a researcher with a sweet tooth and a grand plan. You want to know which ice cream flavors are most popular among, say, cattle ranchers in Montana. So you get some Montanan ranchers together in a room, buy a bunch of different kinds of ice cream, and ask them which flavors they like best.

Now it’s time to ethically and accurately write up your research findings. To do this, be sure to report on participants’ actions and behaviors, not their POBAs (perceptions, opinions, beliefs, or attitudes). Why skip POBAs? Well, because you have no way of knowing what participants think or feel. You only know what they tell you and what they do. (Granted, there probably aren’t a lot of ranchers in this scenario concealing secret ice cream-related thoughts, but it’s the principle of the thing.)

To make sure that the only thing you’re putting in your participants’ mouths is ice cream, choose verbs that show communication — like said, noted, expressed, suggested, or indicated. Steer clear of POBA verbs like thought, felt, or believed. Let’s look at a few examples.

Instead of:

• Many participants thought the lobster ice cream was gross.
• Most participants felt that black raspberry chocolate chip was the best kind.

Try:

• Many participants said they didn’t like the lobster ice cream.
• Most participants expressed a preference for black raspberry chocolate chip.

Just look at those completely objective, factual observations!

And here’s a final pro tip: command-F is your friend. Before you share your findings, double check your document for POBA verbs. The good news is, if you find a POBA word, it’s super easy to swap in something more accurate.

The bottom line: When reporting your research findings, focus on participants’ words and actions (which you can know), not their feelings or beliefs (which you can’t).

Tweet about it: Tips for communicating research findings from @CommunicateHlth: https://bit.ly/2O6PJ2e #HealthLit

You’ve finally launched your website. As an all-star health communicator, you’ve done everything you can to make it great. You tested with users. You tailored the content to your audience. You made sure the site is accessible. And of course you wrote it all in plain language.

Your work is done, right? Not so fast, dear readers! Now you need a way to keep that beautiful content as up to date as the day it launched, which will help your users stay happy and engaged. You need… wait for it… a content maintenance plan!

A content maintenance plan answers questions like:

• How and when do we update content?
• Whose job is it to update content — and who’s responsible for approving changes?
• How do we know when it’s time to remove old content?
• When we add new content, how do we decide where it goes?

Important stuff, right? Now that you know what it is, check out our top 3 tips for creating a stellar content maintenance plan.

1. Get really specific about adding and removing content. No matter how thoughtfully you’ve planned your site, you’ll probably realize soon that you need to add new pages. And there will be other pages that are no longer needed. It’s hard to make good decisions about this on the fly, so set criteria for when and how you’ll add or remove content.

Be sure to plan for where new content will go. You’ll also need to figure out what removing old content entails — do you need to archive it somehow? Can you just delete it? Decide how this will work in advance.

2. Get the right people on board. Having a plan isn’t enough — you need to know who’s going to do the plan. Figure out who will handle content maintenance tasks, like fixing broken links, and make these tasks a priority. You don’t want them to fall to the bottom of the to-do list every time.

You also need to decide who will review content when you’re making updates and who needs to approve new content. Put it all in the plan! Nailing down roles and responsibilities now will save you headaches later.

3. Make a maintenance schedule — and stick to it. A maintenance schedule tells you when to check your content for accuracy and make updates. This is also a good time to catch broken links and other out-of-date information.

We recommend reviewing each page at least once a year, but you could decide to review every 6 months or every 2 years, depending on the type of content and your goals for the site. We’re big fans of scheduling the review of large sites that have many pages throughout the year — and, you guessed it, putting all the details in the plan.

The bottom line: Make a plan for keeping your site’s content up to date — it’ll make your life easier and your users will thank you.

Tweet about it: Making a plan to keep your #HealthLit site up to date is a win for you and your users, says @CommunicateHlth: https://bit.ly/2Ahiy8o