February 11
2013 Health Literacy Awards
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IHA, a nonprofit healthcare organization and a leader in the health literacy field, received nominations from the nation’s foremost health literacy authorities and researchers.
[divider]Winners were selected in the categories of Research, Innovative Programs, and Published Materials.
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The winners of the three 2013 IHA Health Literacy Awards are:
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Research: Co-winner
Canyon Ranch Institute Life Enhancement Program (CRI LEP) is an evidence-based, multi-disciplinary, integrative program that increases health literacy while preventing, diagnosing, and addressing chronic diseases. CRI LEP is a powerful, guided experience designed to help participants make an enduring personal commitment to their health and wellness.
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Research: Co-winner
Christine Kennedy, RN, PhDUniversity of California, San Francisco
Dr. Kennedy designed and oversaw implementation of “Picture This,” a pilot research study that investigates the possibility of leveraging mobile health (mhealth) technology to further health literacy research and practice to bridge ethnic and racial health disparities. The objective of this three-phase study was to develop a mobile phone application (mHealth app) to help healthcare providers to promote more physical activity and less sedentary behavior among patients. There is a need to bridge the challenges of low health literacy in this effort. Mobile phones offer a unique opportunity to address low health literacy and health disparities because of their widespread use in the population and as a platform that can provide visual content with minimal text.
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Innovative Programs
Rhonda Johnson, DrPH and Polly Smith, MA, Co-Chairs
The Alaska Health Literacy Collaborative (TAHLC)
The goal of the Peer Language Navigator (PLN) projects is to create a support network that bridges the many cultural differences and language barriers, to provide limited English proficient populations with important healthcare information, and to increase provider awareness of low health literacy barriers to effective care. In response to identified and shared concerns about health literacy, TAHLC initiated PLN projects that identified ethnic community members primarily from recent immigrant and refugee communities who would be interested in working with health and adult education providers in developing health messages and materials that are culturally competent. Extensive training and respectful discussion to develop a message that is understandable and culturally relevant was required. PLNs have assisted in bringing health messages and information in their own language to ethnic communities.
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Published Materials
Poppy Strode, MS, MPH, RD, Public Health Nutrition Consultant
California Department of Public Health Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program
The California Department of Public Health WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) Supplemental Nutrition Program developed a series of handouts (“I’m 1,” “I’m 2,” “I’m 3,” and “I’m 4”) for parents of toddlers and preschool children. These parent handouts were designed in alignment with the California WIC Program’s adoption of participant-centered education. The materials are not only easy-to-read, but are also designed to support an interactive approach during individual nutrition education. Staff engage parents in reading and working with each handout, so there is more participation during the session and parents are more likely to keep and use the handout at home. Also, the circle chart in each handout allows parents to choose a particular topic to focus on in discussion with WIC staff.
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Health Litearcy Hero Award
Michael Villaire, MSLM and Andrew Pleasant, PhD
Presented to Andrew Pleasant, PhD
Andrew Pleasant received the IHA Health Literacy Hero Award. IHA created this award in 2008 to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the health literacy field. The inscription on the award for Dr. Pleasant read: “For Demanding the Very Best From the Health Literacy Community and Never Failing to Deliver the Same.”
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Leonard Doak Memorial Scholarship in Health Literacy
Chazz Glaze is the first recipient of the Leonard Doak Memorial Scholarship in Health Literacy. The scholarship was set up by health literacy trailblazer Cecilia Doak to honor her late husband and longtime colleague, Leonard Doak, who passed away in July 2012. The scholarship paid for all expenses for one individual to attend the Health Literacy Institute in Maine. The winner also works with a mentor for a year to achieve the projects they listed for themselves in their application. Glaze’s mentor for the year is Cecilia Doak.
The Institute for Healthcare Advancement donated $5,000 to the scholarship fund. Canyon Ranch Institute and the California Department of Public Health WIC Program donated $500 awards to the scholarship fund as well.
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