In this podcast first broadcast in 2008, Archie Willard shares a message that is as important today as it was then. I hope you enjoy and learn from this HLOL Classic.
Archie Willard was an ardent and articulate advocate for health literacy. He chaired health literacy workshops and participated in health literacy programs run by organizations including the Iowa Health System, American Medical Association, and the Joint Commission. Archie also was a guest speaker at health literacy conferences across the United States. But he didn’t learn to read until he was 54 years old, after being diagnosed with severe dyslexia. Of note: Archie Willard died in 2017 when he was in his mid-80s.
In this podcast, Archie Willard talks with Helen Osborne about:
- Growing up as a non-reader
- Learning to read as an adult
- How reading problems affect health understanding
- Ways we all can help
More Ways to Learn:
- Last Reader Standing: The Story of a Man Who Learned to Read at 54, by Archie Willard and Colleen Wiemerslage.
- Ask Me 3, an initiative to help patients ask good questions about health. From the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
- “Healthcare Communication from an Adult Learner’s Perspective,” by Helen Osborne. Published in On Call Magazine, April, 2004.
- “Health and Literacy Working Together: A Health Literacy Conference for New Readers & Health Professionals,”report by Helen Osborne. Highlights an important meeting in 2004 with adult learners and health professionals.
Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (Updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Relevant chapters include: 1, 21, 27, 28, 29, 41.
Read the transcript of this podcast.
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