Thoughts on health literacy from an education advocate (and Health Literacy in Public Health minor ): a thread 1/

I do think @CDCgov is doing the best they can with what they have; however, those of us in healthcare and public health often forget that the average health literacy in the US is basically a 5th grade reading level. 2/

What’s common knowledge for us isn’t common knowledge for most Americans, and we forget this when we talk about complicated things. It’s like when the mechanic talks to me about different types of oil for my car 3/

When I was hired years ago, I was fit for an N95. A mask was placed on my face, a shield went around the mask, and something was sprayed inside the shield. If I couldn’t smell the spray, the mask fit. 4/

The universal masks I’ve been wearing at work every day for the last couple of weeks don’t block out smells, which means they won’t block out droplets; but they cover MY droplets, which protects my patients if I’m carrying asymptomatically (which we all have to assume we are). 5/

But if I have to suction a patient with an open airway (which is something we do when people with TBI or SCI can’t cough effectively on their own), I put on an N95 and goggles so my mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth) are protected from any fluids that come out of them. 6/

So when we talk about wearing a mask vs not, we have to be clear about which TYPE of mask and WHO we are trying to protect (ourselves vs others) and we need to explain this with specific and concise directions that are easy to follow AND that don’t have exceptions. 7/

This is a helpful explanation from @crookedmedia comparing the different kinds of masks. 8/

Most Americans haven’t gone through clinical mask fittings. Most Americans don’t understand our nuance when we compare and contrast flu and #COVID19. And misunderstandings lead to fear, which perpetuates dangerous misinformation. 9/

Every health class in public schools should prioritize raising health literacy. It’s great that we cover nutrition and exercise (not so much with sexual health ), but we also need to raise kids as literate advocates for both their own individual health AND public health. 10/

Health education policy in public schools should prioritize print literacy and oral literacy to raise kids who can navigate health and healthcare, as well as numeracy to reduce things like prescription misuse. 11/

If we learn anything from this pandemic, we need to have learned preparedness and prevention. Part of this means understanding global health, both currently and in a historical context. Public schools should include Spanish Influenza and AIDS in their curricula. 12/

Understanding where we’ve been and understanding where we are now in a world that is more connected than ever will help us understand how responsible we are to one another. Compassion + literacy = prevention 13/

Studies show that improved health literacy reduces visits to the emergency room and even mortality, but it can also create more informed voters who understand the role of policy in keeping all of us healthy. Part of public education means preparing kids to be active citizens. 14/

Some of my favorite people to follow right now who tweet about this crisis in plain language are @AbdulElSayed, @ASlavitt, and @AuforGA. Listen to them. Read from credible sources. And if something is confusing, ask. And please stay home. 15/