Fresh Idea: Health Literacy for ELL Adults Lincoln Literacy Council

1. Susan Bockrath, Program Coordinator Clay Naff, Executive Director Fresh Idea:Health Literacy for ELL AdultsLincoln Literacy Council

2. Lincoln Literacy Council … assist people of all cultures and strengthen our community by teaching English language and literacy skills. • ELL and Basic Programs • One-one tutor matches • Groups • Health Literacy

3. LLC’s RWJF Funded Health Literacy Program • 12 week sessions • All women students so far • Students share common first language • Sudanese Arabic, Nuer, Spanish • Bilingual health education and • English instruction with LLC trained tutors • Focus on topics covered during health education • Clinic partners provide screenings and referrals

4. Literacy Listening Speaking Reading Writing Health Literacy Improving health status Basic knowledge Communication skills Placing in Medical home Wise use of healthcare $ Insurance options ER use Reconciling Goals Health Literacy: The degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions… – Healthy People 2010

5. 77 women improve health literacy • Improve active recall of anatomy terms • Improve description of basic symptoms • Medical and dental screenings (n=40+) • Follow-up completed by all • Medical record vs. medical history

6. Even fresher ideas…What we’ve learned so far • Less is more • Fewer topics allow for more repetition • More is more • Tutors need a range of language activities related to each content objective • Supportive service capacities & needs differ • Case management • Health mentors • Tutors benefit from content too • Tools available to assess health literacy miss the mark with ELL adults