Wondering how to talk to the general public about health? Whether you're a writer like me or a practitioner, this article is for you.
First, remember that patient education is a skill that takes time to master. Thankfully, there are strategies out there that can help. Here are my 7 top tips.
1. Forget everything you know... or seek another perspective
It may seem counter-intuitive, but the least you know about a topic, the better you can explain it to beginners. This is because of a cognitive bias called 'the curse of knowledge'.
Research shows that subject matter experts have a really hard time putting themselves in a beginner's shoes. Naturally, they tend to:
Use specialist language
Forget to cover the basics
Give to many complicated details
To go around this bias, you either have to think like a beginner (which is very hard to do) or team up with a non-expert.
As a professional writer in the healthcare industry, I need experts to provide me with content and to fact-check my work. In exchange, I offer my perspective as a patient and writer. This allows us as a team to create materials that are accessible to the vast majority of people.
Of course, collaborating is hard sometimes. It's not uncommon to disagree on exactly what content is relevant to readers. But in the end, the result is always a win-win.
2. Get rid of jargon
By using jargon, you're asking your patients to make sense of words that don't have any meaning to them. It's just like expecting people to understand a foreign language.
Many experts think that using specialist language makes them sound more knowledgeable. In fact, it's the opposite. If people can't understand you, it will be a lot harder to persuade them.
Of course, within expert groups, jargon can help save time and create a sense of community. But using it with outsiders can exclude or disengage them.
So what should you do instead? Use simple, everyday words.
Think about how you would explain a stroke to your nephew who's starting secondary school. Which words would you use? For some inspiration, you can consult plain language word lists.
3. Don't give too much away
It can be tempting to give all the information on a topic, just in case. But keep in mind these 2 things:
People are not very good at remembering new information. The more details you give, the least they will remember.
More people than you think are poor readers. For them, a long article or a 30-page guide can be intimidating.
Too much is like not enough. Try to limit yourself to:
2-3 key messages
4 pages or 1 200 words per document
Be sure to highlight the most important facts. You can repeat them a few times or, in a document, use bolding and text boxes.
Here's another tip: the brain is better at remembering the information that comes first and last. You can take advantage of this by putting the most essential information at the beginning or end of your communication (or both!) .
4. Give enough information
You may also be tempted to leave out relevant information, either to save time or to avoid creating more work for yourself.
For example, many hospital units would rather not advertise their phone number on patient materials. In doing so, they think they will prevent people from calling. However, patients usually end up finding the number anyway - they just waste more time searching. So, why not make things easier for them?
Be clear and give enough details to be understood. Avoid hollow words and ambiguous language. For example, when giving instructions for a heavy metal test, don't just say "take a hair sample". List the necessary steps and include all relevant details (how thick the hair strand should be, where to cut, etc.).
Using clear, jargon-free language will get you fewer questions from confused patients.
5. Give the right information at the right time
Again, remembering new information is hard. If you have a lot of relevant content to share, split it into bite-sized chunks and spread them over a longer period of time.
Suppose you want to give written information to a patient about their upcoming surgery. You could hand them a document before surgery to explain how to prepare. Then, after surgery, you could hand out a second document on how to recover.
Think about the best timing to give the information. Too early, your patients won't remember it when it matters. Too late, it will no longer be relevant.
6. Give verbal explanations... but hand out printed memory aids
As you've learned, many people are poor readers. If you only give out written information, it's likely that some of it will get lost. Explaining things verbally ensures that patients receive all the information they need.
That being said, a medical consultation isn't always a good time to learn. Many patients experience stress, fear or pain in your presence. That can make it even harder for them to process new information.
To account for this, I recommend handing out a memory aid at the end of the consultation. It allows patients and caregivers to review the information at home, when they are more relaxed.
If possible, have it made or edited by a writer with an expertise in health literacy. She will make sure that the information is easy to read and use.
7. Run tests
So you've chosen your content carefully, you've simplified it for your audience and you've picked the right time to share it. Well done!
Now, how can you tell if it meets your patients' needs? Simple. You can just ask them!
Easier said than done, I know. Sure, you can ask your patients if they understood you. But few will say 'No', even if they didn't catch everything.
For verbal information
I suggest the teach-back method: simply ask your patients to repeat what you said in their own words.
If you worry about putting them on the spot, blame your busy schedule or even yourself:
"I've seen a lot of patients today and want to make sure I didn't miss anything. Would you mind going over what we said one more time?"
"Just to make sure I didn't forget anything important, could you please remind me what I said about X?"
This is a great way to check your patients' understanding and to course-correct as needed.
For written information
I recommend having patients review your document on 2 occasions:
after you've finished your draft
when the formatting is done
The first review focuses on clarity and tone. The second one gives you insight on visual elements: are they appropriate and do they help the reader understand?
You'll notice that most patients are happy to help. They're rarely asked for their insight and appreciate giving it!
To get specific feedback and target areas that need work, you can ask your reviewers to fill out a form with questions on:
content (is there too much information? Not enough?)
tone (is it appropriate?)
structure (is the information given in a logical order?)
etc.
Final thoughts
Patient education can be challenging. But like any other skill, the best thing you can do to improve is practice, practice, practice.
To sum up:
Forget everything you know... or seek another perspective
Get rid of jargon
Don't give too much away
Give enough information
Give the right information at the right time
Give verbal explanations... but hand out printed memory aids
Run tests
Finally, remember that you are not alone. There are many health literacy experts out there who can help you master patient education techniques.
Your patients will thank you!