Welcome to WHCA Online
Welcome to the WHCA website. Our aim is to use this platform both to keep you informed about our activities and as a resource for health and environment communicators.
CURRENT INITIATIVES
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WHCA holds the secretariat of the World Health Editors Network (WHEN). This important initiative in health communication is active on several fronts. Full reports, with video and presentation downloads, can be seen under the WHEN link.
Health Literacy Guide
The World Health Communication Associates (WHCA) Action Guide on Health Literacy introduces a new interactive action framework for strengthening individual and societal health literacy. Health literacy is defined as “the capacity to obtain, interpret and understand basic health information and services and the competence to use such information and services to enhance health.” The guide’s primary aim is to be a “how to” manual. To this end it presents case study examples of practical interventions that people and agencies in a wide variety of settings are taking (and can take) to enhance their own and other’s health literacy. The actions described not only focus on individual behaviour changes but also look at initiatives being taken to strengthen and adjust systems in order to address institutional and structural deterrents to health literacy, make information more accessible and understandable, and make navigation easier.
The Guide development team has included:
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Franklin Apfel, MD, MHS, WHCA Managing Director
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Ruth M Parker, MD, Professor of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine
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Kara L Jacobson, MPH, CHES, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
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Julia Taylor, Director, WHO Healthy Cities Programme, Liverpool
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Tony Boyle, Neighbourhood Public Health Manager, Liverpool Primary Health Care Trust
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Joanna Groves, CEO, International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations
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Jeremiah Mwangi, Senior Policy Officer, International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations
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Scott Ratzan, MD, Vice President Global Health, Johnson & Johnson
Dear Friends,
I want to draw your attention to an exciting and timely consultation initiative being launched by Zsuzsanna Jakab the WHO EURO RD-Elect. She has developed a transition website, http://www.rdelecteuro.org/, to explore “ways of further strengthening the WHO Regional Office for Europe to meet the needs of the changing European environment.” On the website she shares her vision for the Office and poses a variety of very relevant questions about future development options. Check it out, join in the dialogue and spread the word. This initiative provides an excellent platform for sharing our views on priority issues and needs.
Franklin
