The Latest Update on Face Masks

In "A Visual Guide to Face Masks: What Works, What Doesn't," posted 9/17/20 on Medscape.com, author John Watson reviews the latest data on the most commonly used masks and their benefits and limitations in protecting against coronavirus.

Bottom line: "not all masks are created equal."

You can read the full article here.

Be safe.

Health Literacy: Why It Matters, What You Can Do

Health literacy is an individual's ability to obtain, understand and act on information and services and make appropriate health decisions.

People of all ages, incomes, races, and education levels have trouble with basic health information. Often, this is because information is not presented in a way that is easily understood. As a result, people with limited health literacy are less likely to get preventive care or effectively manage their existing chronic illnesses. They also have a higher rate of emergency room visits and hospitalizations and generally have poorer health.

Learning about health is a lifelong process and it is never too late, or too early, to start. 

Here are several steps you can take right now to make sure you get the best care possible:

• Plan your visit to the doctor. Think about what is important for you to discuss, make a list and show it to your doctor at the start of the appointment
• Bring a list of all medications, prescription and over-the-counter drugs, including vitamins and herbal products. Just because something is called "natural" doesn't mean it isn't harmful or can't interact with other drugs
• Share information that may be useful for the doctor to know and tell him your feelings and beliefs about your illness or condition
• When you talk with a doctor, nurse or pharmacist, or have a medical test, ask:
• What is my main problem?
• What do I need to do?
• Why is it important for me to do this?
• What are the potential benefits and risks?

• If you don't understand, say "This is new to me, would you please tell me again." Or "Please slow down so I understand what I'm supposed to do."

• Bring a family member or friend with you to listen and take notes 

• Repeat the information in your own words to make sure you "got it"

• Schedule another appointment, if you feel you need more time

• Call the doctor to ask about test results. Do not assume that "no news is good news"
• Make sure your pharmacist also knows about all the drugs and supplements you are taking. Because he or she can help identify potential drug interactions, it is a good idea to get all your prescriptions filled at the same place

• Explore http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/ for more information about staying healthy, choosing quality care, understanding diseases & conditions, comparing medical treatments. Information is available in English and in Spanish

Health Literacy Champions Lenoard and Cecilia Doak

The field of health literacy started with a love story. When Cecilia Conrath and Leonard Doak married in 1973, she was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service, developing and leading continuing education for physicians and allied health professionals. He was an engineer who volunteered as a literacy tutor for adults.

They described, in a 2009 Literacy Out Loud Podcast with Helen Osborne, how a conversation early in their marriage about the difficulty Len's students had understanding medical advice led to their groundbreaking work. In the past 30 years, they have presented over 200 workshops around the world and trained more than 11,000 healthcare professionals on how to communicate in a way that is easy to understand and motivates patients to make informed decisions about their health.

Len and Ceci Doak

Together they coauthored with Jane Root the award-winning Teaching Patients with Low Literacy Skills, which is still considered "the bible," as well as numerous journal articles. The second edition of their book is available for free at Harvard University School of Public Health's Health Literacy Studies website.

Leonard Doak died July 15 in Palm Desert, California. I never had the opportunity to meet Len. I only knew him and Cecilia, or Ceci, by their reputation as the "grandparents" of healthy literacy and for their tremendous contribution to the field. Over the past week, the health literacy community remembered Len with fondness and respect. Among the many beautiful tributes, were the accolades "hero," "warm and humble," "giant in the field," "enthusiastic and generous colleague," "tireless worker for social justice."

My sincere condolences to Cecilia and their family and to his friends and colleagues.

Photo credit: From www.literacyoutloud.com, host and author Helen Osborne.