Your website

Ever wondered if your website is helping your service users or consumers find what they need?

Have you ever "got lost" while navigating a website?
Have you given up trying to find a piece of information or form on a website?
Did you understand everything in the information or article?

Can websites be created to be

-          user friendly;

-          easy to navigate

-          have readable information?

Check out the “About Us” website from the UK.  This group recognises the needs of their users, and have made their website easy to use and meaningful.
I was also able to navigate the website with ease, it was welcoming and user friendly. I also enjoyed reading about their many stories, and projects.
http://www.aboutus.org.uk/

Talk to Cathy about how you can improve your website
cathy@accesseasyenglish.com.au

Images in the community

Images can be seen all through our community.

Can these readily recognisable and familiar images be used in your document?

Have you considered what the International Symbols have available?
There is a small set of commonly used International Symbols available for free download at http://www.aiga.org/symbol-signs/

Your document is about road safety, cars or pedestrians.  Would familiar road signs assist understanding?

Your document is on workplace safety.  What are the signs used for danger in the workplace? Is this the right image for the context of your document?
Are their common images used in your workplace for safety gear - goggles, safety shoes and hard hats? Ask for permission to use these images.

Email Cathy at cathy@accesseasyenglish.com.au for further ideas or help with your documents

Will patients take their medications?

 A constant question for physicians 

Published in Medscape Medical News, June 05, 2013 by Janis C. Kelly (ref. 1) was a discussion about a research article published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, June 2013 (ref. 3)  regarding this very question.  The headline states “RA: Only 1 in 5 Patients Take Oral Meds as Prescribed.” Further on it states "in summary, we found that adherence to oral DMARDs and steroid therapy in patients with RA was low, ranging from 58% to 71%, with only one-fifth of patients showing ≥80% adherence.

 In the knowledge that at least 44% of adult Australians and a similar percent of adult US citizens has non-functional literacy, this is not surprising. Reading and understanding information on our health literacy is even lower.

Check out how adherence to taking medication barriers for the significant number of people with non functional literacy could be addressed with this example, When and how to take your medication. www.easyhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/When%20and%20how%20to%20take%20your%20medicine.pdf (ref. 2)

Use this example as a basis to personalise the information you provide on when and how to take medications you prescribe to individual patients. 

Email or call Cathy to discuss how you can personalise specific medications or other information you provide to patients. cathy@accesseasyenglish.com.au 0466 579 855 (Aus)

 References

1.    Janis C. Kelly, June 05, 2013, RA: Only 1 in 5 Patients Take Oral Meds as Prescribed in Medscape Medical News. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/805352?nlid=31624_1301&src=wnl_edit_dail&uac=206251HV  Downloaded 07 June 2013.

2.    Gemma Unwin and Professor Shoumitro Deb, October 2006. When and how to take your medication. University of Birmingham www.easyhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/When%20and%20how%20to%20take%20your%20medicine.pdf Downloaded 07 June 2013

3.    Christian A. Waimann, Maria F. Marengo,Sofia de Achaval,Vanessa L. Cox, Araceli Garcia-Gonzalez, John D. Reveille, Marsha N. Richardson, Maria E. Suarez-Almazor, June 2013. Electronic Monitoring of Oral Therapies in Ethnically Diverse and Economically Disadvantaged Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Consequences of Low Adherence in Arthritis & Rheumatism, Volume 65, Issue 6, pages 1421–1429, Article first published online: 31 MAY 2013. Downloaded 07 June 2013

Channel 7's Today Tonight talks about non-functional literacy

Last night, Today Tonight in Melbourne, presented a story about the many adults in our community with non-functional literacy.

The new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics was cited. See the story from Channel 7 to gain some insight for mainstream Australian communities.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/today-tonight/latest/article/-/17489370/adult-illiteracy/

Preliminary findings from the Australian Bureau of Statistics #4228, 2011-2012

-  44% of adult Australians has non-functional literacy. This equates to 7.3 million adults.
- For people aged 60 to 74 years, 65% have non-functional literacy and 71% have non-functional numeracy.
- Significant correlation with workforce participation, non-participation or unemployment and non functional literacy and numeracy.
For the first time literacy and numeracy in technology rich environments will be available when the final data is released in October 2013.

With significant non-functional literacy, there is certainly an opportunity for some people to engage in adult literacy learning classes. Some people though, may have attained their highest literacy and numeracy skill due to other reasons. Attaining and maintaining literacy is a life long learning skill, yet we all need to be able to access written information now. A parallel strategy is required. This involves re-developing information and documents to be easier to read and understand for the person with non-functional literacy. Think about
- signing a mortgage or lease agreement;
- signing a phone contract;
- reading weekly bills;
- reading appointment letters from doctors, government departments;
- interpreting and reading a map, including the index;
- using a train or bus timetable;
- reading community newsletters;
- understanding choices for medical intervention;
- understanding your rights and responsibilities;
- reading and understanding other legal documents, such as wills.

Can you think of other examples, when you need to be able to read and understand information now?

 Contact Cathy at cathy@accesseasyenglish.com.au for advice. Also visit the website www.accesseasyenglish.com.au for more information on Easy English.

 References

Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2012. Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, Australia, 2011-2012#4228.   www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4228.0main+features992011-2012 Downloaded 15/03/2013

Channel 7 Melbourne. June 5, 2013, 6:18 pm Adult illiteracy. Jackie Quist Today Tonight

 "Australia is facing a hidden epidemic of adults who can't read or write, with many claiming they were failed by the education system."   http://au.news.yahoo.com/today-tonight/latest/article/-/17489370/adult-illiteracy/ Downloaded 05/05/2013

Do patients or clients understand your instructions?

An  article written by Neil Chesanow, Senior Editor, Medscape Business of Medicine explores the question "Why some patients aren't following your instructions.
www.medscape.com/viewarticle/804739?nlid=31570_1523&src=wnl_edit_medp_wir&uac=206251HV&spon=17  (downloaded 05 June 2013)

The article does focus on written information, i.e. Health Literacy.  Another aspect which all health practitioners must consider is the face-to-face verbal interaction with patients. Easy English versions of information to discuss with a patient, can improve interaction. However, there are other techniques which health practitioners need to also incorporate to improve face-to-face interactions.

Cathy
cathy@accesseasyenglish.com.au