Plain Language and Health Literacy
Plain Language
Achievement Award
enliven are thrilled to announce that we were awarded the Christine Mowat Plain Language Achievement Award 2021. This is an international award presented every two years recognising an outstanding contribution to advancing plain language.
What is Plain Language?
A communication is in plain language if its wording, structure, and design are so clear that the intended audience can easily find what they need, understand what they find, and use that information (1).
Why is Plain Language important?
Using plain language helps you to communicate effectively with your clients, patients and/or customers. It is important to acknowledge that a person’s ability to find, understand and use information varies. By using direct, everyday language, you enable your audience to understand your key message quickly and easily, regardless of their health literacy level.
What is Health Literacy?
The World Health Organization (2) defines health literacy as ‘the cognitive and social skills which determine the motivation and ability of individuals to: gain access to information, understand information and be able to use information in ways which promote and maintain good health’.
Why is Health Literacy important?
People with low health literacy are more likely to have poorer overall health outcomes and engage in harmful health behaviours.
Low health literacy is associated with:
- increased risk of serious illness
- increased hospital admissions and presentations at the emergency department
- lower medication adherence
- lower levels of engagement with preventative healthcare measures, including cancer screening and vaccination
In contrast, better levels of health literacy are associated with increased patient involvement in shared decision making, which is important in patient-centred care. Improving health literacy is therefore a key element in allowing people to partner with health professionals for better health (3,4).
References
Plain Language Association International - What is plain language
World Health Organisation - 7th Global Conference on Health Promotion.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare - Health literacy and health behaviour
The Optimising Health Literacy (Ophelia) process - study protocol for using health literacy profiling and community engagement to create and implement health reform
enliven are proud to be members of the Plain Language Association International (PLAIN). PLAIN continues to be the international association for plain language professionals and supporters that promotes clear communication in any language.