You are here: Main Communications Assessing the need for an interpreter This resource is also available in pdf. Download Assessing the need for an interpreter Access other tip sheets in this series Whenever possible, the need for an interpreter should be decided...
Why it is important to plan, monitor and evaluate health literacy? Measuring individual health literacy has often been the first step in addressing health literacy amongst target populations. But in order to align people’s skills and abilities with the complexities of...
Why is verbal communication important? Most communication in a health service happens when the worker and client come together and talk. Health professionals and organisations can experience challenges in achieving effective verbal communication with clients from a...
Why is written communication important? Health information is an important part of health literacy. Clients and the community need to be able to access, understand and act on health information. A lot of health information is presented in a complex way, and is often...
What is the teach-back technique? The teach-back technique is a tool that service providers can use when communicating with clients who have low health literacy. It assists service providers improve client comprehension. Steps in the teach-back technique Explain one...
Why strengthen organisational systems for health literacy? Health systems are complex. Health services can play a major role in assisting low health literacy clients to access services despite this complexity by: influencing how their services are structured ensuring...
You are here: Main Communications Interpreters: an introduction This resource is also available in pdf. Download Interpreters – an introduction (PDF) What is interpreting? Interpreting is the oral translation of speech between two different spoken languages. Who is an...
Health literacy is essential for maintaining good health and improving the quality of life. Conversely there is extensive evidence linking low health literacy to poor health outcomes. Health literacy is a concept that has been defined, measured and understood in many...
Why is it important to consider assumptions when we communicate? Both clients and health professionals have pre-existing assumptions that they bring with them when they communicate in the health service environment. Assumptions and preconceptions are a result of...
Why measure health literacy? The measurement of health literacy is linked to improving client centred care in health services. Different health literacy measurement tools contribute to improving different elements of health literacy. Measuring individual health...
