Creating Healthier Communities through Health Literacy

Posted in: #CC/Academic List, #Health Interest List, #Health Sciences List, #Public/K-12 List, All Members

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The goal of NNLM is to provide health professionals with equal access to biomedical information and the public with consumer health materials that help them make informed decisions about their health. One way NNLM does this is by promoting health literacy. Being health literate informs people how to calculate the right medication dosage, communicate with healthcare providers, interpret test results, and locate and evaluate health information.

Kiara Comfort, Education and Outreach Coordinator, for Mid Continental Region in Nebraska worked with Creighton University’s Porto Clinic at the Heart Ministry Center to create a way to promote health literacy to its patients. We discussed what would best fit their patient’s needs. This included materials that could be easily read and available in a variety of languages to serve its diverse community.

It was decided upon to get a consumer health information kiosk with MedlinePlus for its clinic. The kiosk was modeled after the All of Us health information technology kiosk. MedlinePlus is a robust consumer health information tool that is available in Spanish, provides easy to read materials, and is available in many languages. Genetics Home Reference is now integrated into its website as well as links to ClinicalTrials.gov. There are also resources that give patients access to a variety of health topics, information about drugs and supplements, and tips to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The consumer health information kiosk will be a tool that will help patients be proactive in making decisions about their health.