Liz Seegert is an award-winning, independent journalist. Liz has written about health for more than 30 years. Her main beats include aging, women’s health, social determinants of health, and health policy. Liz’s articles have appeared in dozens of national and local media outlets including Scientific American, TIME, The American Journal of Nursing, and Web MD/Medscape. Liz is the contributing editor on aging and health equity for the Association of Healthcare Journalists (AHCJ). She also co-directs two fellowship programs–mentoring and training emerging journalists in aging and in health reporting.

Listen as Liz Seegert talks with Helen Osborne about:

More ways to learn:

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. The chapter “General Public: Traditional Media” is especially relevant to this podcast

Read a transcript of this podcast.

The post Narrative Journalism: Stories to Make Points Clear and Compelling (HLOL #265) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Today’s two guests are leaders of the new United States Health Literacy Association (USHLA).

Helen Osborne talks with Karen Komondor and Monique Hill about:

More ways to learn:

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. The chapter “Organizations: Health Literacy Across Programs, Companies, Communities, and Countries” is especially relevant to this podcast.

Read a transcript of this podcast.

The post U.S. Health Literacy Association: From Silos to Synergy (HLOL #264) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Helen is taking a break to recover from back surgery, so we’re re-running some classic episodes. Here’s one from 2024.

Rear Admiral (RDML) Paul Reed, MD is the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, the Director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, a pediatrician, and a senior U.S. Public Health Service Officer. His primary responsibility is to advise the Assistant Secretary for Health on disease prevention and health promotion programs and policies. Additionally, RDML Reed provides direction and oversight for national health initiatives such as Healthy People 2030, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, and the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition.

In this podcast, RDML Paul Reed talks with Helen Osborne about:

More ways to Learn:

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. Especially relevant to this podcast are the chapters, “Community Connections,” “Health Equity in the Context of Health Literacy,” and “Organizations: Health Literacy Across Programs, Companies, Communities, and Countries.”

Read a transcript of this podcast.

The post Re-Airing: Health in the Context of People’s Lives (HLOL #263) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Helen is taking a break to recover from back surgery, so we’re re-running some classic episodes. Here’s one from 2019.

Bridget Gaglio PhD, MPH is a Senior Program Officer for the Clinical Effectiveness and Decision Science program at the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). She works to improve communication and dissemination of evidence-based information among patients and their healthcare providers. Gaglio has published papers on patient-centered communication, health literacy, and dissemination and implementation of health interventions. But this podcast isn’t about that. Rather, it’s about experiences and lessons Bridget and Helen each learned as patients.

In this podcast, Helen Osborne talks with Bridget Gaglio about:

More Ways to Learn:

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (updated 2018),by Helen Osborne. Chapter 5 is especially relevant to this podcast, “Communicating When Patients Feel Scared, Sick, and Overwhelmed.”

Read the transcript of this podcast.

The post Re-Airing: When Patients Create Their Own Medical Binders: A Powerful Way to Get Organized and Feel More in Control (HLOL #262) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Leslie J. Pelton, MPA is a senior program officer at The John A. Hartford Foundation, where she oversees grants that are transforming care for older adults and family caregivers through the Age-Friendly Health Systems movement. Prior to this, Leslie was vice president at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, where she collaborated with funders, national partners and leading health systems to design and spread Age-Friendly Health Systems. As of May 2025, more than 5,200 hospitals, medical practices, nursing homes, clinics, and home health care agencies, this movement is committed to delivering evidence-based care to reduce harm and align with what matters to older patients and their caregivers.

Listen as Leslie Pelton talks with Helen Osborne about:

More ways to learn:

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. The chapter “Know Your Audience: Older Adults” is especially relevant to this podcast.

Read a transcript of this podcast.

The post Age-Friendly Health Systems (HLOL #261) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Doris Zallen, PhD, is Professor Emerita of Science Studies and Humanities at Virginia Tech. Her research explores personal, family, and societal issues arising from advances in genetic testing and gene therapy. Zallen is the author of two books about genetic testing and is developing an online tool to help people make informed choices about testing. Zallen always draws from the experiences of genetic professionals along with everyday people making decisions about whether to have genetic testing.

Jamie Tyrone has been a patient advocate for many years after accidently learning that she has the gene that puts her at high risk for Alzheimer’s Disease. Ever since, Tyrone’s advocacy has taken many forms including as a research participant, co-author, and member of several professional committees. Tyrone wrote a book about her experience, Fighting for My Life – How to Thrive in the Shadow of Alzheimer’s. 

Listen as Doris Zallen, Jamie Tyrone, and Helen Osborne discuss:

More ways to learn:

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. The chapter “Decisions About Treatment, End-of-Live Choices, or Whether to Participate in Clinical Trials” is especially relevant to this podcast.

Read a transcript of this podcast.

The post Genetic Testing; Conversation with a Researcher and Patient Advocate (HLOL #260) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Karel van der Waarde is an information designer based in Belgium. His projects often focus on medication information that is given to patients by doctors and pharmacists. Karel teaches about information design to audiences worldwide. He is active in many professional associations including the International Institute for Information Design (IIID). He also was part of the team that developed the 2023 International ISO standards for plain language (ISO 24495).

Listen as Karel van der Waarde talks with Helen Osborne about:

More ways to learn:

 Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. The chapters “Document Design” and “Plain Language” are especially relevant to this podcast.

Read a transcript of this podcast.

The post Discussing Health Literacy with an Information Designer (HLOL #259) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Cheryl Lekousi is the Executive Director of the Hearts & Noses Hospital Clown Troup based in Needham, MA. In her work as a clown, Cheryl is referred to as “Tic Toc.” Building on anextensive background in special needs education and early child development, Cheryl now makes clown visits to pediatric hospital units, memory care facilities for older adults, and a range of community events for ill and disabled children.

Kenny Raskin is the Artistic Director of Hearts & Noses, training the troupe in clowning skills, partnering, and sensitivity to hospital staff and patients and their families. As a clown, Kenny is known as “Dr. Mensch.” Kenny is recognized internationally for his skills as a physical comedian and clown. He has performed in numerous films, circuses, television shows, and stage productions. Kenny even was the comic sidekick of the villain Gaston in the Broadway production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

Cheryl Lekousi and Kenny Raskin talk with Helen Osborne about:

More ways to learn more:

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. The chapter “Zest and Pizzazz” is especially relevant to this podcast.

Read a transcript of this podcast.

The post Medical Clowns: A Dose of Joy for Patients of All Ages (HLOL #258) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Christopher Pizzute, MA, LCAT, MT-BC, is a music psychotherapist who works in inpatient and outpatient services at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. His expertise extends to palliative, psychiatric, geriatric, pediatric, and neonatal care. Christopher is also a songwriter, artist, and video game advocate whose work now extends to exploring the benefit of video game music as part of music therapy.

Listen as Christopher Pizzute and Helen Osborne talk about:

More ways to learn more:

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. The chapter “Zest and Pizzazz” is especially relevant to this podcast.

Read a transcript of this podcast.

The post Using Music to Support Patient Care (HLOL #257) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Today’s episode is a re-airing of an important podcast first posted in 2009. It is my conversation with the husband-and-wife team of Cecelia (Cici) and Leonard (Len) Doak. The field of health literacy as we know it today builds on the strong foundation of research, practice, and advocacy that began with the Doaks. While both of them have since passed on, it is well worthwhile to listen as Len & Ceci share why health literacy mattered decades ago and why it remains so important today.

Cecelia (Ceci) Doak started as a commissioned officer in the US Public Health Service. During her more 20 years there, Ceci developed and led numerous health education programs. In fact, she received a commendation from the Surgeon General for her work educating the public about cancer.

Leonard (Len) Doak comes to health literacy via adult education, volunteering for many years as a tutor of non-readers. Len’s first career was as a Navy engineer and among his many accomplishments he helped simplify instructions for crews working on ships and submarines.

Len and Ceci, along with their co-author Jane Root, wrote the landmark book first published in 1985, Teaching Patients with Low Literacy Skills. Len and Ceci wrote guidelines for many important projects and analyzed the suitability of over 2,000 healthcare materials. They presented at more than 200 health literacy workshops, training thousands of health professionals in all disciplines.

Len and Ceci Doak talk with Helen Osborne about:

More ways to learn:

Doak, Doak, & Root, Teaching Patients with Low Literacy Skills, Second Edition, 1996. Now available on Internet Archive.

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. The chapter “About Health Literacy” is especially relevant to this podcast.

Read a transcript of this podcast.

The post HLOL #256: Len & Ceci Doak Discuss Health Literacy’s Past, Present and Future appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.