I was interested in the framing of you're health literacy work.  While a
huge amount of work has been done in the field there is still a good
deal of confusion about the meaning of health literacy.  
 
I highly recommend the IOM Report - Health Literacy: A Prescription to
the end the Confusion.  I bring this up because it sounds like you are
looking at health literacy in the way many people view computer
literacy, or financial literacy - as a series of ideas and vocabulary
people need to learn.  Actually the health literacy has taken a
considerably different approach- seeing health literacy as a function of
society designed to improve the ability of patients to act upon health
information in beneficial ways.  The focus has been on system change -
how providers and patients communicate; how hospitals and other health
facilities act to make their health information more accessible; the
design of written and spoken language to reduce jargon and respond to
the needs of patients.  
 
While there may be certain basic information one could call health
savvy - the health literacy community and research has focused more on
this process orientation.   The AMA materials that Joanne suggested are
also excellent examples of this process approach. 
 
Wm. Smith
Executive Vice President
Academy for Educational Development
1825 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20009

Organize policy until self-interest
does what justice requires.
Phone: 202-884-8750
Fax: 202-884-8752
e-mail: bsmith at aed.org
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