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Full-Text Fridays: The Need for Trauma-Sensitive Language Use in Literacy and Health Literacy Screening Instruments

Many of you have expressed that the articles are some of the most useful items on FHO. So in an effort to bring you more, I am pleased to present a new feature: Full-Text Fridays, in which I will highlight one (ok, sometimes more) full-text article(s) from peer-reviewed journals available in the public domain. Enjoy!

This week’s article is The Need for Trauma-Sensitive Language Use in Literacy and Health Literacy Screening Instruments (PDF)

Citation: Lincoln AK, Arford T, Prener C, Garverich S, Koenen KC. (2013). The need for trauma-sensitive language use in literacy and health literacy screening instrumentsJournal of Health Communication, 18, 15-19.

Why this article: Because language has power and a heightened awareness of the choices we make regarding word use can only benefit our patients. While it focuses on literacy screening it has implications for patient screening and education tools broadly.

Key quote: Our aim is not only to call attention to the use of triggering language in existing literacy and health-related assessments and research instruments, but also to advocate that others take similar steps toward embracing more sensitive language by removing or replacing words that may cause unnecessary stress, anxiety, or pain to those who are at increased risk of retraumatization.