Understanding is healthcare
Why plain language matters for older multicultural Australians
For many older multicultural Australians, understanding healthcare information can be as important as accessing healthcare itself.
Providing information in a way that is easy for them to find, understand and use is vital. It’s a practical way to make our health systems more accessible, respectful and equitable.
Often we think of in-language documents as the solution. But if the information in English is complex, translations and interpreting won’t help.
Plain language can help bridge these gaps. It can translate complicated health information into information that is easy to understand, navigate and act on.
When access to information is a human right, we have a responsibility to communicate clearly. And we need to communicate clearly to everyone who uses the Australian healthcare system.
Health information is complicated - and scary
Health and medical information can be hard to understand, even for someone who speaks English as a first language in Australia.
The complexity can be increased by:medical terminologyunfamiliar conceptsacronyms and abbreviationslong sentences and dense paragraphstoo much information delivered at once.
For people who speak another language, this creates even more barriers. This is even before we intersect their experiences with living with disability, low literacy or being socially and culturally isolated.
To top it all off, your audience is often given this information when they are stressed or afraid. We know from the research that our ability to understand plummets when we’re under stress.
Multicultural older people are particularly disadvantaged
When information is unclear, people may feel confused, excluded or less confident about making decisions about their health.
This particularly disadvantages older, multicultural Australians, because:
English may not be their first language.
Even if translations are provided, the older person may not be literate in their native language.
They may have limited familiarity with the Australian health system.
Written English can be harder to navigate than conversational English.
Cultural taboos can create offensive translations of some medical terms.
These challenges can be addressed by plain language writing. It’s a valuable investment of time and money for your organisation that can build trust and connection with your clients.
The consequences of misunderstanding
Training your teams in plain language, editing your existing communication, and reviewing your templates is an investment. It will cost your organisation both time and money.
But compared to what?
Complex health information may already be costing you. Your clients might be finding it hard to:
understand a diagnosis
follow medication instructions
prepare for appointments or procedures
recognise warning signs
make informed decisions
navigate services
know when and where to seek help.
These issues have the potential to cause serious harm, to both your relationship with the client and their overall health and safety.
How plain language can help
The simple but powerful principles of plain language can instantly transform your writing. This includes using everyday words, short sentences and the active voice.
And the best part? Plain language won’t just benefit your multicultural clients.
It also makes information easier to understand for people living with disability, cognitive decline, low literacy, long term illness and busy clinicians or carers.
Designing for people who face the greatest barriers will create better communication for everyone.
Example
Let me show you how plain language can transform health information.
Before: “Patients experiencing adverse reactions should discontinue administration and seek medical advice.”
After: “If you have a bad reaction to this medicine, stop taking it and contact your doctor.”
With a few changes, this piece of information easily answers the three key questions that clients have:
What is happening?
What does it mean for me?
What do I need to do next?
What your organisation can do
At Plain Language Matters, we can help your organisation create better client communication.
This could look like:
Reviewing and editing your documents for readability.
Removing unnecessary jargon and technical language.
Training your staff in plain language communication.
Writing an accessible communication policy that sets an organisation standard.
Healthcare communication should not be another barrier people have to overcome. Work with us, and we can help you make understanding part of the healthcare you deliver.
We’d love to chat - email us at info@plainlanguagematters.org
