HJAR Jul/Aug 2021

HealthLiteracy Q&A Sometimes being the smartest person in the room may not make you’re the best communicator or explainer. Good gracious, humans have a difficult time communicating in the best of circumstances, throw in the stress of someone being a patient of yours, having something bad happen or hearing bad news and we have the perfect storm of much of what you are saying never being heard, understood or preformed the way you intended. And, that is for English speaking and reading folks under the best of circumstances – throw in a hearing, mental health issue, language or literacy barrier and well, there is no doubt we could all improve in this department. We thought it time to glean some pointers on this topic from UAMS’s Center for Health Literacy Director, Alison Caballaro. HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  JUL / AUG 2021 15