Category: We Heart Health Literacy

A common question we get from clients and readers alike is, “Should I use ‘sex’ or ‘gender’ in my health information?” Never fear, dear readers, we’re here to set the record straight!

Sex is biological. It’s about your chromosomes, your anatomy, and your hormones. In terms of sex, most people are male or female.

Gender is social. It’s how your identity relates to society’s ideas of what it means to be a man or a woman.

While it may be tempting to use these terms interchangeably, it’s not accurate. It’s not always as simple as male = man and female = woman. Some people are intersex, meaning their physical sex characteristics aren’t typically male or female. And for transgender, non-binary, and agender people, their gender doesn’t “match” the sex they were assigned at birth.

For health communicators, it’s important to be clear about what we mean. When you find yourself about to write “sex” or “gender,” take a moment to think about what you’re really trying to say. (And if you’re working on a form or survey, think about whether you need to ask about gender at all.)

For example, if you’re talking about prenatal testing, you’re definitely looking at the baby’s sex. That 20-week bundle of joy has only just started to develop a nose — it has no idea what its gender is.

On the other hand, if you’re talking about which groups face the highest rates of intimate partner violence, that’s gender. It’s about how people are perceived and treated as men or women, not about their physical characteristics.

The bottom line: Resist the temptation to use “sex” and “gender” interchangeably — think through what you mean first.

We’ve talked about knowing your audience and tailoring your content, but how do you write relevant content when your target audience is very broad? Say, all Americans ages 18 through 45?

That’s a big group of people with really varied demographics. In these instances, your main objective is to not exclude any of your readers. You do this by focusing on things that are accessible to — and inclusive of — nearly everyone in your target audience.

Use these tried-and-true tips to create content that will work for (almost) everyone you’re trying to reach:

• Use common, realistic examples. Cross-country skiing is a great way to stay active, but it’s not an option for people in warmer climates or those who can’t afford the equipment. Instead, give low-cost exercise examples that could work in warm and cold weather — like walking or playing catch.
• Avoid assumptions. Let’s say you’re writing content for pregnant women. Instead of saying “your husband,” “the father,” or even “your partner,” try using more inclusive language, like “partner, family member, or friend.”
• Test your materials. Ask research participants: Who do you think this material is written for? Would you be able to do these action steps? Then adjust as needed.

As always, keep your message concise and in plain language.

The bottom line: When you’re writing for a broad audience, consider their diverse needs to make sure your content hits the mark.

As the calendar pages of 2015 dwindle, let’s commit to making 2016 bigger, better, and more health literate than ever! We can do it, dear readers.

Still looking for a resolution? Here are a few to ponder (even though you’re probably already doing them because, well, our readers are the best!):

• Lose the jargon and use plain language terms
• Use the CDC Index to see if you can make your content even better
• Make sure your online content is accessible to people with disabilities
• Test your materials with users — especially with people who have limited health literacy skills
• Remember that health literacy isn’t only about written communication — the same principles apply to how you communicate health information in person

The bottom line: In 2016, recommit to making health literacy a priority in the work you do.

We hope your 2015 has been filled with plain language, clear design, and calls to action!

And we wish you, our dear readers, a very happy and healthy holiday season!

Cheers,
Your friends at CommunicateHealth

[Editor’s note: We have a few hardcore Star Wars nerds here at We ❤ Health Literacy headquarters and their enthusiasm in these final days before the release of The Force Awakens has gotten unbearable. In an effort to distract them, we’ve given them this week’s post — sincere apologies to all you non-Star Wars lovers out there.]

The wisdom of Star Wars has been applied to just about everything — from religion to psychology to philosophy. So why not health literacy? Drop your blasters and get some health literacy tips from a galaxy far, far away.

Have a clear main message. Remember the good Star Wars movies? About those kids who fight evil and save the galaxy? That clarity worked. The ones about the trade embargo that is actually just a ruse disguising a power play by the senator from Naboo, who secretly is — well, those didn’t work quite as well.

Test (and retest) your materials. Clearly, the Empire needed to do more prototype testing. How else can we explain the obvious flaws in the construction of the Death Star’s thermal exhaust port and reactor? You know, the ones that got it blown up — twice?

Use plain language. Think about all the famous Star Wars quotes: “May the Force be with you,” “I am your father,” and “Help me, Obi Wan Kenobi — you’re my only hope.” Simple and direct. And sure, technically they’re called All Terrain Armored Transports, but everyone calls them walkers. Always use language that regular people use.

Cut everything that’s not essential. As it turned out, Luke did just fine without that hand.

Keep it simple. Did you see Yoda living in a splendid palace befitting his status as the greatest Jedi in the galaxy, pampered by Rodian and Twi’lek servants? Nope — dude is living solo in a boggy tree trunk. If ever a Muppet embodied the principles of simplicity, it’s him. (Just don’t write like Yoda — know what we mean, you do, hmm?)

The bottom line: May the Force be with you, health literacy fans. And let’s hope Episode VII is one of the good ones.

Cancer is a confusing, scary subject — so it’s no surprise that it’s also a tricky one to write about.

As you know, dear readers, communicating about cancer involves a lot of complex terminology. And when people are under a lot of stress (like when they’re worried about cancer), their reading comprehension drops regardless of their usual level of health literacy.

So before you use a complex cancer term, always ask yourself if there’s a simpler, more direct replacement that’s still medically accurate. For example:

“If the cancer is metastatic, you may need different treatment.” Instead of using “metastatic,” can you say, “If the cancer has spread”?

“We will run tests to find out if the tumor is benign or malignant.” Try to avoid words like “benign” and “malignant” — and even the confusing word “tumor” when possible. Instead, you could just say, “We will run tests to find out if you have cancer.”

“You may need a biopsy of the prostate tissue.” Leave out the jargon word “tissue” and say where it’s coming from (in this case, the prostate).

“Biopsy” is trickier. With some audiences, you could simply call it a test. But if you’re talking to people who may need repeated biopsies, teach the term instead. Add a sentence like, “During the biopsy, a doctor will take a small sample of your liver to test it for cancer.”

Keep in mind that you can’t always use these simpler substitutions. Depending on your audience and goals, you may need to use more complex terms. That’s okay, as long as you explain them in plain language.

The bottom line: When you’re writing about cancer, avoid jargon when you can — and explain important terms in plain language when you need to.

It’s that time of year again! A time to give thanks, share gratitude, and (of course) eat a nice slice of pumpkin pie.

We’re incredibly thankful here at We ❤ Health Literacy Headquarters for you, our dear readers. So we thought we’d share some ideas to help you showcase your stellar health communication skills at the Thanksgiving table.

You know that time-honored tradition where everyone shares what they’re thankful for? And when it’s finally your turn you sit there, tongue-tied, hiding behind your fancy napkin even though there’s so much you could say?

Fear not — here’s the perfect recipe to give thanks the plain language way.

• Just a pinch. Keep it short and sweet. Grandma’s already starting to fall asleep in her mashed potatoes.
• A dash of this (not that!). Skip impressing your friends and relatives with jargon — no need to talk about your fantasy football “proficiencies” when you can say “mad skills” instead.
• A scoop of specifics. Why exactly are you thankful for [insert name or thing here]? Don’t be vague — give an example. It’ll show how thoughtful you are!

The bottom line: This Thanksgiving, don’t just give thanks for plain language — give thanks in plain language, too!

Tweet about it: This Thanksgiving, share what you’re grateful for the plain language way with @CommunicateHlth! https://bit.ly/2DPU5df

You’re sitting down to write your latest, greatest health content. You’ve got a topic and a message, and “plain language” is practically your middle name. So, are you good to go? Not quite yet — you need to know your audience, too.

You wouldn’t talk to your best friend the way you’d speak to your insurance broker or your grandmother. And of course, dear readers, the same logic applies to health content.

Take some time at the start of your project to sort out your audience. Ask yourself about their age, race and ethnicity, cultural background, and reading level (and write down your answers so you can refer to them as you write). Also think about other factors that might influence how they approach your content, like gender or health status.

Then tailor your content so it specifically speaks to your audience:

• Choose examples that are familiar to your audience. If you’re including a sample recipe in your content, be sure it has ingredients your audience already knows about.
• Make suggestions that are realistic for your audience. If you know that cost is a barrier to healthy eating, include tips for food shopping on a budget.
• Choose stock photos your audience can identify with. You may have a great picture on hand of an African American family sitting down to a turkey dinner, but if you’re trying to reach East Asian teenagers, save it for another time.

Finally, don’t forget to test a draft with members of your target audience.

The bottom line: Readers are more likely to act on your health content when it’s relatable.

It’s a very exciting week in health literacy land, dear readers! One of our all-time favorite resources has been updated to include the very latest in best practices of user-centered design, usability, and health literacy.

That’s right, the second edition of Health Literacy Online is here! This research-based guide has practical tips for creating easy-to-use health websites and digital health information tools.

Wondering how to improve user engagement? Not exactly sure what makes a helpful search function, um, helpful? No problem — Health Literacy Online has your back.

The guidance in the latest edition reflects the fact that many more people are now accessing the internet on mobile devices (you’re totally reading this on your smartphone, aren’t you?). In today’s mobile-heavy digital world, this is important stuff.

There’s also a really cool section about conducting user testing with participants with limited literacy or health literacy skills, plus valuable information about the cognitive processing and online behaviors of people with limited literacy skills.

A disclaimer here: We were involved in the development of this guide, so we’re a teensy bit biased. Regardless, we’re pretty confident that you’ll ❤ the second edition of Health Literacy Online, too.

The bottom line: Check out the latest edition of Health Literacy Online — you won’t be disappointed.