What Movies Can Teach Us About Health Literacy

Health literacy lessons can be found everywhere. Beyond traditional sources like websites, books, and journals, I’ve learned a lot about health literacy from movies, zoos, and other unexpected places. February is when the U.S. film industry honors its best in the annual Academy Awards. In this month’s Health Literacy Consulting How-To Tip, I focus on some health literacy lessons learned while watching the nearly silent film, The Artist.

Messages can be conveyed in many ways. The Artist tells a compelling story using facial expressions, actions, captions, yet nearly no spoken words. What’s my take-away lesson? As health communicators, we need to pay close attention not only to our spoken words but also to our tone of voice and body language. Here’s an article I wrote about doing just that, “In Other Words…Actions Can Speak As Clearly As Words.”
Like it or not, change happens. This movie tells the story of a silent movie star who wonders (or rather, dreads) what will happen to him in the new era of talking pictures. Have significant workplace changes ever worried you? No doubt they have given the rapid pace of change in science, healthcare, and technology. Here’s a podcast focused on what to do when medical guidelines change, “Health Literacy Out Loud #63: Mammograms: Clearly Communicating New Guidelines."
Dare to be different. The Artist is perhaps the only movie I’ve seen that doesn’t rely on dialogue. Honestly, I find this a refreshing difference. In some ways, it’s like my presentations. Instead of turning on the computer, turning off the lights, and reading bulleted slides aloud -- I dare to be different by telling stories, showing examples, interviewing others, and encouraging audience interaction. How do you dare to be different? Click this link to learn more about my keynotes, workshops, and onstage conversations.

And what about those health literacy lessons I learned at the zoo? Here’s my article from a while ago, “In Other Words…What Healthcare Settings Can Learn From Zoos About Signage and Wayfinding.”

What health literacy lessons have you learned from unexpected places? And what movies do you recommend? I’m about to have shoulder surgery and am looking for good films to watch during the four weeks I’ll be in a sling. Email me at Helen@healthliteracy.com

For permission to include Health Literacy Consulting Tips in your organization's newsletter, please contact Helen Osborne by e-mail at: helen@healthliteracy.com, or by phone at: 508-653-1199.