Use of Plain-Language Guidelines to Promote Health Literacy

Margaret Grene; Yvonne Cleary; Ann Marcus-Quinn

doi:10.1109/tpc.2017.2761578

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication Dec 2017

Use of Plain-Language Guidelines to Promote Health Literacy

Margaret Grene University of Limerick ; Yvonne Cleary University of Limerick ; Ann Marcus-Quinn University of Limerick

Abstract

Research problem: Studies by the American Institute of Medicine and the European Health Literacy Survey describe considerable levels of either inadequate or problematic health literacy. This health literacy problem is intensified when frontline healthcare practitioners must rely on printed education materials to compensate for the lack of time to instruct patients about their health management. Applying plain-language guidelines to health promotion materials may increase their effectiveness, particularly for patients with low health literacy. Research questions: 1. In what ways have plain-language guidelines been applied in health information materials for patients with varying degrees of health literacy, according to recent studies? 2. Have studies found that materials that apply plain-language guidelines are effective in health information promotion? Methodology: This article presents the findings from an integrative literature review of research into the use of plain language to promote health literacy. The systematic review identified scholarly, evidence-based studies that included reference to the use of plain-language guidelines. This article describes the detailed selection process and characterizes the corpus of articles along four dimensions: objectives, methodology, plain-language guidelines used, and findings. Results and conclusions: The review identified 13 articles that explored the use of plain-language guidelines in health literacy promotion. Analysis of these articles demonstrates that plain-language guidelines could play a strategic role in educating patients. Use of plain language could help healthcare practitioners to communicate critical and sometimes very complex health information effectively.

Journal: IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
Published: 2017-12-01
DOI: 10.1109/tpc.2017.2761578
CompPile
Open Access: Closed
Topics: empirical research literacy studies book reviews
Export: BibTeX RIS

Citation context

Cited by in this index (4)

Bennett (2026)

Expanding the Inclusive Potential of Federal Plain Language Guidelines Through …

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
Lambrecht (2025)

“What People Are Saying” About Extreme Weather: A Comparison of Public Commenta…

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
Madson (2024)

The Packaging and Labeling of Cannabis Edibles: Opportunities for Professional …

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
Lang et al. (2023)

Computer-Assisted Corpus Analysis: An Introduction to Concepts, Processes, and …

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication

References (45)

10.1093/jnci/90.9.668

↗
doak (1996)

Teaching Patients with Low Literacy Skills
10.1016/j.ajic.2015.07.038

↗
10.1093/intqhc/mzw046

↗
10.1088/0952-4746/36/2/S175

↗

Show all 45 →

10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2015.06.007

↗
(0)
(0)
(0)
10.1007/s13187-016-0994-5

↗
(2007)

Health Literacy in Canada Initial Results from the International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey
10.3322/canjclin.48.3.151

↗
10.1016/j.sapharm.2015.12.001

↗
10.1161/JAHA.115.001799

↗
10.1016/0738-3991(95)00787-3

↗
davis (1991)

Rapid assessment of literacy levels of adult primary care patients

Family Medicine
10.1007/BF02640361

↗
10.1016/S0738-3991(98)00116-5

↗
10.1370/afm.405

↗
cheek (2010)

Defining plain language

Clarity
10.1109/IPCC.2009.5208669

↗
10.1016/j.sapharm.2012.10.007

↗
10.1016/j.socscimed.2008.09.050

↗
10.1002/pon.3096

↗
10.1093/heapro/16.3.289

↗
10.1093/heapro/dap014

↗
10.1080/10810730.2015.1081997

↗
sørensen (2012)

Health literacy and public health: A systematic review and integration of definitions and…

BMC Public Health ↗
10.1111/j.1525-1497.2006.00540.x

↗
10.1093/heapro/dah609

↗
10.1093/eurpub/ckv043

↗
nielsen-bohlman (2004)

10.17226/10883

Health literacy A Prescription to End Confusion ↗
10.1177/10901981740020S102

↗
10.1057/palgrave.jphp.3200102

↗
10.4278/ajhp.080613-CIT-94

↗
10.1177/1524839903257771

↗
10.1109/IPCC.2011.6087229

↗
10.1215/03616878-24-1-1

↗
10.1001/archinternmed.2009.454

↗
10.1001/jama.282.7.646

↗
10.1186/1472-6947-5-16

↗
10.1080/10810730.2012.712612

↗
10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2012.01.057

↗
(0)
10.1371/journal.pone.0013302

↗

CrossRef global citation count: 44 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Use of Plain-Language Guidelines to Promote Health Literacy

Abstract

Citation context

Cited by in this index (4)

References (45)

Related articles