In Pennsylvania and across the world, cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by a new coronavirus, are growing. We must keep health literacy in mind as we communicate vital public health information and try to manage the spread of the virus. If you are developing...

The National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Middle Atlantic Region (NNLM MAR) invites eligible member organizations in the Middle Atlantic Region (DE, NJ, NY, PA) to apply for health information outreach and programming projects for the period May 15, 2020 – April...

Pennsylvania Health Literacy Coalition (PAHLC) members, you might have noticed that our health literacy blog has been in a hibernation for a little while. The PAHLC team has been working behind the scenes to deliver training and workshops, host events, and provide...

The amount of health information available online via the internet, social media, and applications is growing rapidly.  As a result, health information is far more accessible to the general public. Patients’ ability to search for answers to their health-related...

As the United States population ages, the health literacy of older adults is of great concern. Only 3% of people 65 and older have proficient health literacy skills; twenty-nine percent (29%) have below basic skills.¹ Several factors related to aging play a role in...

Almost 90 million people in the United States have limited ability to find, process, and understand the basic information needed to make appropriate health decisions.1 This skill set, known as health literacy, is vital to making sure all Americans have access to...

Plain language is a communication style that presents information in a way the intended audience can understand, regardless of the complexity of the topic. The use of plain language across health care interactions is vital to improving health literacy. While plain...

“What I hear, I forget. What I see, I remember. But what I do, I understand.”   This quote by Confucius is an important reminder that to truly understand new information, most people have to hear or see it and apply it. This principle is the foundation of the teach...

Research suggests that many people with low health literacy do not tell their family, friends, or health care providers that they have trouble understanding health information.1 Even those with proficient health literacy may struggle when they are sick,...