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The Canadian Public Health Association's (CPHA) National Literacy and Health Program (NLHP) promotes awareness among health professionals of the links between literacy and health.
The National Literacy and Health ProgramPeople with low literacy skills may not understand what health professionals tell them. They may not be able to read health information. Some may not use health services, except in an emergency.
CPHA's National Literacy and Health Program provides resources to help health professionals serve clients with low literacy skills more effectively. The program focuses on health information in plain language and clear verbal communication between health professionals and the clients they serve.
CPHA is committed to maintaining and improving personal and community health according to the public health principles of prevention, promotion, protection and effective public policy. We believe that simple instructions and easy-to-read health information will help to improve health care for many Canadians.
The National Literacy and Health Program has been in existence for ten years, and works with twenty-seven national health association partners to raise awareness about literacy and health.
The NLHP received funding from the National Literacy Secretariat.
The following links will take you to descriptions of the services, projects and publications of the NLHP.
National Literacy and Health Program Services
The Plain Language Service provides consultation and advice on how to write documents in plain language, and will review and revise materials.
National Literacy and Health Program Projects
Literacy and Health in Canada: Where Have We Been and Where Should We Go?
Charting the Course for Literacy and Healthy in the New Millennium:
The First Canadian Conference on Literacy and Health.
This event took place in May, 2000, and the conference report is now available.Medication Packaging and Labelling is a project to develop a set of Guidelines on using plain language and good design in prescription medication packaging and labelling.
M.O.V.E (Mind Over Violence Everywhere)
National Literacy and Health Publications
Over the past ten years, the NLHP has produced several innovative and useful publications which are available from CPHA s Health Resources Centre.
National Literacy and Health Program
400-1565 Carling Avenue,
Ottawa, ON K1Z 8R1
Telephone: (613) 725-3769
Fax: (613) 725-9826
E-mail address: nlhp@cpha.ca
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NLHP welcomes you as visitor number
since July 02, 1997