Health Information in Everyday Language

The Wellness Information Zone Initiative

Description:

The Wellness Information Zone (WZ) is a national health literacy initiative offering the public easy access to basic health information in everyday language, ideally at the point of need.

The Humana Foundation created the Wellness Information Zone. The Humana Foundation was established in 1981 as the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc. Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation's largest publicly traded health benefits companies, with over 11 million medical members.

The Need:  Health Information in Everyday Language

• 90 million Americans have difficulty finding basic health information they can understand, especially on the Internet.
• Low health literacy affects more adult Americans than obesity, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and breast cancer combined.
• Literacy skills are the strongest predictor of health problems—more than age, income, employment status, or race.
• Most Internet health information is written at 10th grade level or higher.

A Solution:  The Wellness Information Zone (WZ) Initiative

• The Humana Foundation (HF) created WZ which launched September 2007 in Atlanta.
• The initiative has three components:
  • Website portal called wellzone.org
  • WZ Centers consist of a kiosk dedicated to e-health information and located in community centers, health clinics, libraries, schools, and other nonprofits
  • Trained health information guides - librarians, health professionals, and volunteers to assist consumers searching for health information

Description of wellzone.org

• wellzone.org is a unique portal designed for those 90 million Americans looking for basic health information in everyday language (ideally 3rd to 6th grade level) in English and Spanish.
• This non-commercial site is free to anyone with an Internet connection.
• Talking video guides provide a brief tour of the home page, with some health topics in audio and video formats and in 25 foreign languages.
• Navigation is easy with four main areas of content: (1) diseases and medicines, (2) tests and treatments, (3) health and safety tips for all ages, and (4) links to local resources, such as health facilities and government programs.
• The goal is to quickly connect the consumer to basic and reliable information without producing an overwhelming volume of information.