A 21st century challenge – effectively communicate complex health and science information such as chronic diseases and complex emergencies (Healthy People 2010).
The low health literacy of millions of adults in the US has been referred to as a “silent killer” (Zarcadoolas, Pleasant & Greer, 2006). At least 50% of adults in the US have low health literacy – have difficulty finding, understanding and using health information.
Christina Zarcadoolas PhD. and a team of experienced, interdisciplinary experts develop and evaluate programs and materials intended to advance public understanding of health and science.
Dr. Zarcadoolas is an internationally known sociolinguist with 35 years working on analyzing and closing the gaps between expert knowledge and public understanding. She is the lead author of Advancing Health Literacy: A Framework for Understanding and Action (Jossey Bass, 2006), critically acclaimed in The New England Journal of Medicine as “required reading” for public health professionals. The textbook presents a multi dimensional model of health literacy that includes the domains of fundamental literacy, science literacy, cultural literacy and civic literacy.
We can help you develop effective, health literacy designed messages, communications and programs.
Our core services:
- conduct readability and usability audits of print and web based and other communication campaigns and materials
- strategic planning to communicate complex information to average, low-literacy and special populations/patients
- revise scientific / complex health data for lay publics
- lead staff development and training in health and environmental literacy
- organizational development – integrating best practice guidelines for communicating health and environmental issues