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Practice Tools

Fact or Fiction - Staff Handout

BC Cancer Patient Education - Plain Language
Plain language is a strategy to improve health literacy. It allows patients to read and understand information easily.
Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit Second Edition
Developed by the Agency for Healthcare and Research Quality, this toolkit is focused on primary care in the United States, but many sections can also be applied to other healthcare settings.
To watch the webinar that references this toolkit, see the Staff Education tab on the left side menu of this page.
Addressing Health Literacy: 5 steps to enhance your interactions with patients
University Health Network 'Staff tips'
Health Literacy Action: Toolkit for Patient Educators
This toolkit is targeted to patient education leads and healthcare providers. It includes the 'staff tips' handout above, Powerpoint slides, and more.
Teach Back Training Toolkit
The toolkit combines health literacy principles of plain language and using teach-back to confirm understanding, with behavior change principles of coaching to new habits and adapting systems to promote consistent use of key practices.
30-Item Cancer Health Literacy Test - CHLT-30
This tool can be used to measure cancer health literacy along a continuum.
Reference: Dumenci, L., Matsuyama, R., Riddle, D.L., Cartwright, L.A., Perera, R.A., Chung, H., Simonoff, L.A. (2014). Measurement of Cancer Health Literacy and Identification of Patients with Limited Cancer Health Literacy, Journal of Health Communication, 19(2):205-224.
6-Item Cancer Health Literacy Test - CHLT-6
This tool can be used to find out if a patient has limited cancer health literacy.
Reference: Dumenci, L., Matsuyama, R., Riddle, D.L., Cartwright, L.A., Perera, R.A., Chung, H., Simonoff, L.A. (2014). Measurement of Cancer Health Literacy and Identification of Patients with Limited Cancer Health Literacy, Journal of Health Communication, 19(2):205-224.
Health Literacy Tool Shed

Looking for more resources?

Visit the POD for Patient Education resources on health literacy, plain language, adult learning, and more, or contact your Librarian.

Library Resources & Databases

These resources and databases are available to staff only, but you can print off relevant sections and use them to help patients learn more about their health.

Anatomy TV This link opens in a new window
Use this resource as an illustrative tool when talking to patients about anatomy and physiology. You can also label illustrations and print them out.
UpToDate This link opens in a new window
Print patient-friendly handouts.
The Basics are short overviews written in accordance with plain language principles and answer the four or five most important questions a person might have about a medical problem.
Beyond the Basics are longer, more detailed reviews. They are best for readers who want detailed information and are comfortable with some medical terminology.
This resource is only available to BC Cancer. To create your UpToDate account, log into UpToDate on a BC Cancer networked computer. Click on Register at the top right of the home page and create your user account. Once complete, you will be able to access UpToDate remotely, anywhere. Please remember to log into UpToDate on a BC Cancer network every 2 months to re-authenticate your account.