Best Practices to Advance Health Literacy in a Wisconsin Adult Literacy Coalition.

Autor/Urheber	Michele Erikson; Paul D. Smith; Steven W. Sparks
Institution	SLACK Incorporated
Titel	Best Practices to Advance Health Literacy in a Wisconsin Adult Literacy Coalition.
Quelle	In: doi:10.3928/24748307-20190405-01; 2474-8307; Health Literacy Research and Practice, Vol 3, Iss 3, Pp s8-s14 (2019)(2019) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
DOI	10.3928/24748307-20190405-01
Schlagwörter	literacy; health literacy; health information; adult basic education; Public aspects of medicine
Abstract	Background: Wisconsin Literacy Incorporated is a statewide adult and family literacy coalition representing 75 community-based literacy organizations. This coalition focuses its work in four areas: (1) building capacity of its member agencies, (2) advocating for literacy, (3) preparing adults in worker readiness and career pathways, and (4) improving how health information is communicated through its division, Wisconsin Health Literacy (WHL). Brief Description of Activity: This article outlines how an adult basic education coalition successfully developed a statewide health literacy coalition that later transformed into a division of Wisconsin Literacy through a three-phase approach that included: (1) raising awareness and educating health care and literacy providers about health literacy, (2) implementing health literacy interventions through various grant funding, and (3) disseminating and sharing findings from such health literacy interventions to a broad audience. Implementation: Beginning its awareness work in 2003 with help from a physician champion, WHL implemented best practices within each of the three areas of approach. After being implemented, the initial volunteer-based health literacy coalition was transformed into a division of Wisconsin Literacy Incorporated. Results: The division now includes a full-time director, its own website, funding for community interventions, and a business plan for fee-for-service efforts with health care providers, public health agencies, and other stakeholders. Key relationships with Wisconsin health care organizations provided WHL venues to present about health literacy throughout the state and beyond. Wisconsin Literacy Incorporated helped secure a solid infrastructure by hosting two planning retreats and implementing both strategic and business plans for the newly formed division. Offering fee-for-service health literacy training to health care providers brought in new revenue to sustain the division and obtain buy-in from health care agencies on the importance of health literate organizations. Finally, participating in key partner coalitions and Communities of Practice allowed WHL to share experiences and best practices with a national audience. Lessons Learned: The importance of intentionally raising awareness in strategic health care settings across the state fostered many partnerships. Investing in a strategic planning retreat and a business plan guided the division's success. Delivering educational workshops in community-based literacy organizations and trusted settings where adults regularly go to learn was key to successful implementation.
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