Jessica Ridpath founded a research-centric plain language initiative called Program for Readability In Science & Medicine (PRISM) at Group Health Research Institute in Seattle, WA. In this initiative, Ridpath provides plain language editing, training, and consultation for health researchers, health education writers, hospital staff, and public health employees. Her focus is often on writing clear and understandable informed consent forms for research.
In this podcast, Ridpath talks with Helen Osborne about:
- Informed consent forms for research. Why these forms can be difficult to read and ways to make them easier for the lay public to understand.
- Problematic words. Examples of words and terms that may cause confusion even though these words are short and familiar.
- Strategies and tools to improve understanding of health research concepts.
More Ways to Learn:
- Program for Readability In Science & Medicine (PRISM). Learn more at http://www.grouphealthresearch.org/capabilities/readability/readability_home.html
- PRISM Readability Toolkit. Available at http://www.tinyurl.com/prismtoolkit
- PRISM Online Training, at http://prism.grouphealthresearch.org
Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (Updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Relevant chapters include: 6, 8, 12, 16, 27, 28, 30.
Read a transcript of this podcast.
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