Attributes Of Effective Patient Education Handouts

By Amanda Davis


Health centers have recently started creating awareness to the community on various diseases. People are however visiting hospitals since they do not find this information adequate. Patient education handouts can come in handy to provide guidance on various ailments. They are simple to read, and they offer advice on cure and prevention of diseases. The points mentioned below will assist in looking for a results oriented booklet.

Education materials have to bear a clear message. Readers of these booklets must find it adding value to them. The sentences ought to be structured in a sensible manner. If there are any paragraphs, then needs a well organization for reading to be made accessible. A compound handout makes it hard for people to acquire the knowledge required. It is because they have different levels of education and understanding.

Valid booklets have must be designed in a logical manner. The size of the paper used must also be reasonable. It should be big enough to be read by the visually impaired. Sentences ought to be properly spaced. Words are supposed to be big enough and must be seen from a distance. The spacing assists in making sure that words are visible. Squeezed and tiny literature is discouraging, and most readers ignore it.

Drawings should be randomly done to make reading enjoyable. Poor readers will be able to coordinate the pictures and get the message. Simple diagrams cannot be quickly forgotten as opposed to text. Compound drawings will also ruin the reading process. Absorbing the main point will be challenging, since readers will need to seek help for clarification. In a busy health center getting someone to assist can be challenging.

Literature in the reading material should flow smoothly. Customers have to relate one paragraph to the other with ease. When reading, the content has to make sense. For example, paragraph one must not seem to connect well to paragraph four. They ought to be arranged in a sequential manner. A mixed up content is discouraging to the reader. This is because follow through is difficult.

A good reading material ought to have demand for management value. People who are unwell must get advice on when they have to seek medical attention. They also have to understand when not to visit the hospital. It will assist the customer not to waste time visiting a health center when a certain ailment is not severe. This knowledge reduces long queues in hospitals. Patients will not visit the hospital with a minor illness.

The way of living of the community should be respected. Literature in the reading materials has should also be neutral. It should not look down upon any tribe. For example, it does not have to mention that a particular illness is common among a certain community. It will create a bias which will discourage readers from getting the desired information.

Unique booklets ought to have reasonable headings. The subject matter must be seen with ease. It has to reflect the content of the reading materials. The title and the information should not conflict. A topic that is not related to the content is very confusing. It makes readers lose concentration within the first few minutes of reading. To create a healthy reading culture among the patients, the educating material must have short titles.




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