National Adult Literacy Database

Series: Essential Skills Fact Sheets

Authors: NWT Literacy Council

This document, one in a series of fact sheets published by the NWT Literacy Council, defines essential skills -- reading, document use, writing, numeracy, oral communication, thinking, working with others, computer use and lifelong learning – then offers examples of how those skills can be used to maintain and promote health.

The authors use a hypothetical family made up of mother, father, grandmother and three children. The role of numeracy in maintaining health is illustrated by with the example of the mother measuring out medicine for one of her children. The mother explaining to the child why the medicine must be taken is used as an example of the role of oral communication in promoting health.

Added: 2010-02-25

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Series: You and the Law

Authors: Yamaska Literacy Council (YLC)

Finding legal information and understanding legal language can be a challenge for many individuals, especially for individuals with weak literacy skills. Without this information, individuals are often prevented from making informed decisions about issues that affect their lives This manual provides students with basic information in simple language about health care and patient rights. Students using this manual will gain a better understanding of legal matters relating to health care and their rights as patients and will thus be better able to make informed decisions regarding their health care.

Topics discussed in this manual include
- Your rights as patient
- Consent to health care
- Incapacity
- Access to medical files
- Complaints
- Activities and resources

Funders:

• IFPCA

Added: 2007-09-26

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See also:

• Health Law - Tutor Manual

Series: You and the Law

Authors: Yamaska Literacy Council (YLC)

Individuals with weak literacy skills often lack the resources, skills and confidence to seek out and understand legal information that will help them exercise their rights. Without this information, individuals are often prevented from making informed decisions about issues that affect their lives, such as matters concerning their health and health care. With this manual, literacy tutors can help students understand some basic yet important legal concepts concerning health care and their rights as patients.

This manual should be used in conjunction with the "Health Law Student Manual." It includes a discussion section listing questions you might want to raise with your student. There is also a Resource and Links section to direct you to sites that offer more detailed information at a higher reading level, and referral services.

The following topics are covered in this manual:
- Patient rights
- Consent to health care
- Incapacity
- Access to medical files
- Complaints
- Activities and resources

Funders:

• IFPCA

Added: 2007-09-26

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See also:

• Health Law - Student Manual

Authors: Nova Scotia Department of Seniors

We know from the 2003 International Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (IALSS), that many seniors have difficulty reading and writing. Poor literacy skills seriously compromise seniors' health and well-being: if seniors have difficulty reading and writing, they may not able to obtain health information or may not be able to understand instructions.

This manual is a compilation of eight health literacy lesson plans to be used by literacy tutors and health educators who work with seniors. These lesson plans will help older adults enhance their literacy skills while learning about health topics that are of interest to them. In addition to short readings on the above topics, the lessons also include a variety of literacy activities.

The lesson plans are entitled as follows:
1) Determinants of Health for Older Adults
2) Active Living
3) Healthy Eating
4) Understanding Food Labels
5) Food Safety
6) Visiting your Health Provider
7) Understanding Medication
8) Practicing Prevention

Funders:

• 
• OLES

Added: 2008-03-11

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Health care workers can make a difference

Authors: Yamaska Literacy Council

This fact sheet suggests ways that health-care workers can promote health literacy.

Suggestions include making sure that material is clear and straightforward; offering help with forms; partnering with literacy organizations to learn about the challenges faced by people with low literacy skills; and incorporating health literacy into planning.

The authors have also included information on how literacy and health are linked, noting that people with low literacy skills may find it hard to understand health-related information.

Added: 2012-07-05

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See also:

• Littératie en santé : faits saillants

Authors: 2010 Legacies Now

This video features interviews with people who work either in the literacy field or in health care, discussing the importance of literacy as a determinant of health.

They point out that literacy is vital if people are going to be able to make informed decisions about their health. As well, literacy is connected with socioeconomic conditions that influence health, including income, employment opportunities, and social support.

Literacy levels have a big impact on communication between patients and health-care professionals. One interview subject suggests that an understanding of literacy issues should be embedded in all training for health-care professionals. She recalls talking to a class of nursing students, who were taken aback to realize that the patients they would deal with might have trouble understanding the information they were giving them.

Several people offer tips to help doctors improve their communication skills, including asking for feedback to make sure that the message being given is indeed the one their patient is receiving. The video was developed by 2010 Legacies Now, a non-profit organization created in 2000 to build support for Vancouver’s bid for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Funders:

• Government of British Columbia

Added: 2013-03-14

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Authors: Yamaska Literacy Council

This presentation offers both an overview of the concept of health literacy and an analysis of how Canadians are faring in this area. It was prepared by the Yamaska Literacy Council (YLC), a non-profit English-language organization serving the Eastern Townships region of Quebec.

The authors describe health literacy as the skills required to enable someone to access, understand, and use information for health-related purposes. It requires the use of more than one literacy skill, often simultaneously.

Statistics suggest that as many as 60 percent of Canadians may not have the skills needed to manage their health effectively.

The authors discuss ways the YLC can help improve health literacy both through its one-to-one literacy tutoring service and through the development of plain-language tools.

Added: 2012-06-18

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Authors: Calgary Immigrant Women's Association (CIWA)

The recipes in this booklet were provided by women who took part in a project called Healthy Living: Preventing Type II Diabetes in Immigrant Women and their Families.

The recipes come from countries around the world and are grouped into categories of salads and starters, main courses, and desserts.

The authors have also included definitions of common cooking terms.

Funders:

• Government of Alberta

Added: 2011-02-08

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Authors: Vocational and Rehabilitation Research Institute (VRRI)

This is one in a series of booklets prepared by the Calgary-based Vocational and Rehabilitation Research Institute (VRRI), an agency that helps people with disabilities as well as the community at large.

The authors explain why good nutrition is important; what the food groups are, according to Health Canada; and what constitutes a serving. They have included a section for noting preferences from each of the food groups.

The booklet is easy to read and includes many illustrations.

VRRI is now called Vecova Centre for Disability Services and Research (Vecova): http://vecova.ca/.

Added: 2012-03-12

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Series: Healthy Life Series

Authors: Dr. Gilles Pinette, Christopher McGruer

This guide was designed to help students get the most out of their reading of the fictional story of a young married woman experiencing her first pregnancy.

The guide includes questions designed to check the student’s comprehension of the story; a section to help students assess their own writing skills; and suggestions for writing a compare/contrast essay.

Added: 2010-10-19

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See also:

• Healthy Pregnancy: Jenny's Story - Teacher's Guide