October 2009 marks the 11th year of Health Literacy Month, created in 1999 by Dr. Helen Osborne and a team of health literacy advocates as a time to promote the importance of understandable health information. This year, the theme of Health Literacy Month is “Why Health Literacy Matters: Sharing Our Stories in Words, Pictures, and Sound.” The website www.healthliteracymonth.org features a variety of stories, articles, podcasts, photo galleries, and songs dedicated to the cause.
As part of Health Literacy Month, Boston University encouraged its students and staff to get involved and contribute to the health literacy awareness efforts. Dr. Pauline C. Hamel, a professor in Boston University’s online Master of Science in Health Communication program contributed her essay “Plain and Simple: It’s about Respect and Dignity,” (http://www.healthliteracy.com/
Health communication as a field evolved in response to the need to recognize the importance of increasing personal and public health literacy. Boston University’s online Master of Science in Health Communication addresses the growing need for health professionals to become leaders in the health literacy movement. Health professionals who can recognize patient needs and use easily understandable messaging and communication techniques are in demand in their community and across the world. For more information about Boston University’s online Master of Science in Health Communication, visit http://healthcommunication.bu.edu/
