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Background: Health education materials translated for limited English proficiency audiences should be clear and easy to understand. They should be reviewed by fluent and culturally competent reviewers using a standardised and validated assessment tool. Design/Setting: A total of 139 US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19-translated health education materials were reviewed for cultural and linguistic appropriateness. Method: Reviewers were trained to collect data using a standardised assessment tool, and recorded issues found in translated materials by issue, material and media type. Reviewers were selected for their fluency in the language being reviewed as well as their cultural knowledge of the intended audience. Results: Reviewers identified 150 issues related to words, phrases and images that were confusing, difficult to interpret or held multiple possible interpretations. Reviewers took an average completion time of 16 minutes per material across all media types. Conclusion: This assessment demonstrated the feasibility and efficiency of conducting reviews with culturally and linguistically competent in-house reviewers using a quality assessment protocol that includes a review for cultural and linguistic accuracy. Despite mainly using certified translators, critical issues with the text and images contained in the COVID-19-translated health education materials were identified. Similar forms of assessment could provide high-quality translated materials without undergoing major document revision.

Purpose Describe the development of an innovative teaching activity that applies organizational health literacy to maternal and child health (MCH). Description Health literacy is a strong predictor of health behavior and outcomes. While the study of health literacy has traditionally been confined to skills and capacities of individuals, the significant role of the social and physical environmental contexts in facilitating or hindering one's ability to obtain, understand, and make informed decision about their health has been recognized. MCH organizations play a critical role in influencing health literacy across system levels. This teaching activity aims to equip students with knowledge and skills needed to foster organizational health literacy. Assessment The teaching activity is assembled within a toolkit which includes the following: (1) instructor lesson plan; (2) interactive PowerPoint presentation with instructor notes; (3) field assignment description; (4) health literacy attribute assessment worksheets; and (5) grading rubric. The teaching tool was pilot tested by a student research team member to assess the educational value and assignment logistics, resulting in minor edits (i.e., addition of interviewer probes, and option of a group project-format to permit triangulation of multiple organizational interviews). Conclusion The field of MCH is expanding in complexity, and the demands of health systems on women, children, and families must be mediated by conscious efforts within organizations. Through teaching the importance and function of organizational health literacy to students in MCH, educators can prepare an emerging workforce to improve health literacy, and ultimately the quality of healthcare for women, children, and families., Author(s): Cheryl A. Vamos [sup.1] [sup.2] , Erika L. Thompson [sup.3] , Stacey B. Griner [sup.1] , Langdon G. Liggett [sup.1] , Ellen M. Daley [sup.1] [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (Aff1) [...]

Background: The emergence of Zika virus as sexually transmissible and associated with birth defects may affect reproductive planning and contraception use for people in Florida., Objective: This exploratory study employed a health literacy analytic framework to explore knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to reproductive health in the context of Zika among reproductive-age women and men in Florida., Methods: Reproductive-age people in Florida ( N = 40) were interviewed between September and December 2016 about their knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors regarding Zika and reproductive health. Thematic analysis using a health literacy framework was employed., Key Results: Participants reported they would use reputable online sources to access Zika information. Whereas participants generally understood Zika outcomes, transmission, and symptoms, they reported hearing more prevention messages on mosquito transmission compared to sexual transmission. Overall, participants reported Zika was not concerning given their appraisal of personal circumstances. Participants were confident they could prevent Zika via sexual transmission despite not following the recommended guidelines. Participants discussed how their understanding of Zika changed their behaviors related to mosquito control but not through sexual transmission., Conclusions: This study illustrated a disconnect between reproductive-age people's understanding of Zika-related prevention information and their reproductive decision-making behavior. Strategies to promote appraisal of risk for sexual transmission of Zika, infection, and unintended pregnancy are needed. [ HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2018;2(2):e78-e87.] ., Plain Language Summary: Men and women of reproductive age in Florida may be at risk for Zika virus and related negative health outcomes. This study assessed how Florida men and women find, understand, and evaluate Zika-related health information, and how that applies to their prevention behaviors. This study used health literacy as an analytic framework for an emerging health issue.