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3.2 Provincial Initiatives
Health Literacy Network
BC Coalition of People with Disabilities (BCCPD)
Vancouver, British Columbia
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| Start/End Date |
December 2000 - ongoing
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| Goals |
To raise awareness of health literacy issues, by establishing a province-wide Network linking disability, health, literacy and community groups, individuals and health care professionals.
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| Objectives |
To gather and share information from members about useful publications, education programs, and other activities.
To link members together, providing access to needed and available resources.
To identify gaps in information, and understand the health information needs of BC residents.
To act as a referral service for health care practitioners and consumers.
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| Methods/Activities |
The Health Literacy Network is a new program of the BCCPD's Wellness & Disability Initiative/AIDS & Disability Action Program [WDI/ADAP].
By meeting with advocates, consumers and service providers, the HLN aims to:
promote the Network concept at conferences, community events, and through the WDI/ADAP newsletter TIPS for Living Well;
identify key health literacy issues in various disability communities;
identify relevant health literacy initiatives;
and identify plain language and alternative format resources, determining significant gaps in the available body of resources.
Future activities include: a Health Literacy Newsletter for health care workers, community groups and consumers; and brochures about health literacy and plain language resources. The Network is also co-sponsoring a plain language workshop with Vancouver Hospital's Patient and Family Resource Center in September.
The WDI/ADAP/HLN Resource Centre offers:
Research and reference services for people with disabilities, their families, caregivers and healthcare workers across Canada.
A collection of health and wellness materials in reader-friendly formats, cassettes, captioned videos. Large print and Braille.
Access to the ADAP database, including material on sexuality, HIV, and prevention of STDs.
Resource guides on specific health topics.
Health literacy and plain language resources.
The WDI Web site offers:
Links to reader-friendly material on all aspects of health and wellness.
Access to WDI research and reference service.
The HLN's Web site is in development.
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| Source of Funding |
The BCCPD is a federally-funded, registered charitable organization. ADAP/WDI is funded through the BC Ministry of Health and private donations.
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| Population Served |
The WDI/HLN serves health practitioners, consumers and community groups throughout BC; and online visitors are well-served by the wealth of information available through the WDI Web site.
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| Evaluation |
The WDI/ADAP/HLN Program has, thus far, been evaluated through its ongoing review of:
information requests;
Web site hits;
responses to mail-outs;
informal surveys of consumers, consumer groups, and service providers to determine health information needs and interests; and
discussions with health care providers at conferences and community events.
As the HLN Program is still developing, no formal
evaluation has been implemented.
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| Annual Budget |
The Wellness & Disability Initiative/AIDS & Disability Action Program share a yearly budget of $136,179.
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| Structure |
Full-time WDI/ADAP/HLN Program Director
Part-time Health Literacy Network Coordinator
Part-time WDI/ADAP/HLN Librarian
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| Contact |
Deborah Prieur (Health Literacy Network Coordinator)
Shelley Hourston (WDI/ADAP/HLN Program Director)
Janet Freeman (WDI/ADAP/HLN Librarian)
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