Program managers, decision makers, healthcare practitioners, quitline providers and anyone working in tobacco cessation communications will benefit from this workshop.

Key Points:

One of the National Tobacco Cessation Collaborative's strategic initiatives is focused on the role of health literacy in cessation. Recent data show that those with lower socioeconomic status are more likely to have limited health literacy skills. This same group is also more likely to smoke. An initial review completed by NTCC shows that many cessation materials may not be appropriate for smokers with lower health literacy skills, and may be a contributing factor to the under-use of evidence-based products/services. Low health literacy may play a role in many consumer demand issues, including misperceptions about nicotine, misuse of NRT products, and inability to read/use cessation materials. This workshop will help participants understand health literacy guidelines including use of lay language, clear action steps, and instructional graphics. This workshop will also focus on the application of these guidelines to cessation communications.

Learning Objectives:

Workshop participants will learn basic guidelines of health literacy communication and techniques for improving readability of print materials. Participants will also examine existing cessation materials and determine appropriate content and design based on these principles. The group will also discuss the implications of health literacy for cessation education and products.

Benefits:

After this workshop, participants will be able to identify and utilize techniques to create low-literacy cessation materials. They will also be able to provide guidance for their organizations to follow to improve cessation communications.