help the people understand

Literacy was the main topic this week.
We discussed and worked in groups to create simple messages to inform the general public on health issues. Rewording messages that seem simple to those in the health field is essential to getting information across to the public. When our group first tried to create a simple message about climate change, it proved too tricky to just sit down and write something simple… so we had to back up and write a complex version that we could then adapt! Using the SMOG tool to grade the writing samples was great, and I wish hospitals would use SMOG before they passed out information on anything. From medication info to interpreting the results from basic blood tests, they try to make things simple, but the wording can be confusing even for many with college degrees.

Such a basic concept: clearly explain what a person is getting into before sending them off to take care of themselves… I have always had to do that in any area of research I’ve worked, it’s called informed consent! Even though health care providers aren’t running experimental procedures, the informing process should still be the same. Sure, throw out the technical lingo, but watch the person’s reaction when you do that. When their eyes glaze over and they just starting nodding along, you can finish your thoughts, but then bring it back and paraphrase so they can understand. Never just hand someone a piece of paper with instructions and then assume they’ve got it! Most recently, working in a smoking cessation program, all of our information was written clearly on the medications people would be using, and we also sat down with them for ten to twenty minutes to make sure everything was clear. On every successive visit, our first question was if they had any questions! It gave people the opportunity to get their thoughts out right away before being bombarded with more facts and procedures.

It’s frustrating that our health care system is run as it is… the professionals don’t have time to talk to people and make sure everything is clear. Researchers are held to a high standard, which makes sense due to their funding and protocols, but health professionals should strive to reach that same standard. Taking the time to explain information to patients clearly also establishes a strong rapport which encourages patients to ask questions and discuss issues that they might normally be too shy or intimidated to talk about!