MPH NEWSLETTER VOL. 15
WE’RE HERE TO HELP WITH YOUR COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT & IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY / IMPROVEMENT PLAN!
Hi there,
In a world where health information (true & false) is at our fingertips, health literacy is important now more than ever. This month our newsletter dives into the multifaceted nature of this community health need - recognizing that the ability to understand one’s health needs is supported & challenged by the individual and the system/organizations that serve them. At Moxley Public Health, we prioritize the promotion of health literacy through our community consultation, striving to communicate health data in an UNDERSTANDABLE way.
As always, our focus this month is to collect and transform data into actionable and usable results. Reach out to us anytime to learn more about Community Health Needs Assessments and CHIPs/Implementation Strategies! Set up a FREE discovery call with us here.
Stay healthy,
Coming up…
Don’t forget! Our next Lunch & Learn event is on April 24, 2024 and registration is open now! All future events are kept up to date at the Lunch and Learn tab of our website.
in the news…
Our amazing community members at the Catholic Health Association are holding a webinar on April 23, 2024, 1-2:30p.m. ET and YOU are invited!
Does it count as community benefit? What are the guiding principles for reporting (and not reporting) community benefit programs?
This webinar will cover the basics of what counts as community benefit and how to account for and report community benefit to key audiences. Trina Hackensmith, Lyon Software, Toni Conley, Trinity Health, and Nancy Lim, CHA, will use the IRS Form 990 Schedule H Instructions and CHA's A Guide for Planning and Reporting Community Benefit to review the categories of community benefit, criteria for what counts (and doesn't count), and principles for measuring, reporting and accounting for community benefit. Presenters will also go over recent questions submitted to the CHA’s What Counts Hotline.
public health need spotlight
As of 2020, global understanding of health literacy has expanded to be defined in terms of personal health literacy and organizational health literacy.
Personal health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others.
Organizational health literacy is the degree to which organizations equitably enable individuals to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others.
As defined here, the health literacy concept emphasizes the ability to use information (and not just understand it), acknowledges that organizations have a role to play (internally), and highlights the connection to health equity. That is, promoting health literacy furthers the attainment of the highest level of health of all people. To learn more about the connection between health equity and health literacy, visit this article at health.gov.
Health literacy is a vital factor in maintaining community health and well-being because it enables and empowers individuals to access the services and take the steps they need to stay healthy. Many refer to it as a key base for successful health promotion efforts.
did you know?
Many people have limited health literacy skills. Even strong readers may have difficulty with unfamiliar health terms and concepts. The complexity of the U.S. health care system can exacerbate health literacy challenges.
For more quick facts about health literacy in the US, visit the Center for Health Care Strategies full suite of fact sheets.
tips & tricks of the month
Don’t forget that health literacy, like other health needs, is impacted by social determinants. This recent publication from Dolezel & Hewitt (2023) evaluated the association of some sociodemographic factors with health literacy levels in the US. Among their key findings included that males scored higher on indicators such as engaging with health providers, navigating & understanding the health systems, and understanding health information well enough to know what to do.
public health organization spotlight
This month we want to place the spotlight on this amazing assessment tool from the Milken Institute, 2022.
This report embodies the use of simple and understandable communication, using visually appealing presentation that resonates with readers. It outlines the health literacy concept, available measures for health literacy in the US, current statistics, current efforts to improve health literacy, as well as challenges being faced in the US context and recommendations to address them.
mph favorites to share with you…
A big part of promoting health literacy is demystifying the complicated concepts that surround it. Steph recommends this amazing four part documentary from PBS, Invisible Shield, which systematically reviews public health history, what public health professionals have done and are doing, and how public health impacts your life as you know it.
This one is for teachers out there! Allie recommends this great resource hub about “the walking classroom” and how it can be used to promote health literacy.
Techniques to promote health literacy look different in different communities. For example, it is particularly important to understand how to most effectively communicate about health with Veterans - who have unique health strengths, challenges, and needs. The podcast series “My Patient is a Veteran” demystifies the Veteran-provider relationship, and promotes strategies and education for effective communication.
This month, Shamarra wants to share this powerful video from the WHO where US Grade 11 teacher Bridgette Ramirez shows you firsthand how she promotes health literacy in her classroom. You go girl!
what our team is thinking about this month…
Reflect and share your thoughts with us on our social media platforms below - we would love to hear from you!
