Health Information Week 2025: Day Four

Published Date: 23rd January 2025

Today’s theme for Health Information Week (HIW) is Health Literacy and Misinformation.

"Around half of the population struggles to understand information that can help them manage their own health and care. Understanding health information (health literacy) is essential for taking medications correctly, knowing which health services to use, and managing long-term conditions. The most disadvantaged groups in society are most likely to have limited health literacy. Efforts to improve health literacy could therefore reduce health inequalities" (NIHR - https://evidence.nihr.ac.uk/collection/health-information-are-you-getting-your-message-across/)

 

Along with the HIW team, we have put together a list of online resources and materials on the topic.

Click here for the pdf version, or see below:

 

Misinformation, disinformation and finding trusted information – resources for the public

• The World Health Organization (WHO) provides tips for spotting misinformation and disinformation: https://www.who.int/news-room/spotlight/let-s-flatten-the-infodemic-curve
• The PIF TICK website has one-page posters which are free to view and download on topics including false health information warning signs and what to look for in trusted health information: https://piftick.org.uk/finding-trusted-health-information/tips-and-guides//
• Independent Age offers advice on managing your health online: https://www.independentage.org/get-advice/health-and-care/living-long-term-health-conditions/how-to-find-reliable-health
• The Patient Information Forum has a series of videos to help the public spot misinformation: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhwf1Nw8_AfppzwTLaHohAiobfJ0QGj8H
• The WHO Kahoot! Quiz aims to help people identify the red flags of misinformation: https://create.kahoot.it/details/83d8153f-2714-4970-aeed-e28e2d248457
• The Patients’ Association has put together a Jargon Buster to help you figure out what some of those complicated medical terms actually mean: https://www.patients-association.org.uk/healthcare-jargon-buster
• The NHS also has a handy list of abbreviations that you might find in your medical records: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-app/nhs-app-help-and-support/health-records-in-the-nhs-app/abbreviations-commonly-found-in-medical-records/

 

Resources for healthcare professionals

• The NHS has a Health Literacy Toolkit with information on health and digital literacy and practical tips: https://library.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/06/Health-Literacy-Toolkit.pdf
• The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) evidence collection on health literacy makes the case for improving patient information. It also includes tips on how to make sure everyone can understand the information they are given: https://evidence.nihr.ac.uk/collection/health-information-are-you-getting-your-message-across/
• The Patient Information Forum (PIF)’s Health Literacy Matters poster includes data to help you make the case for health-literacy friendly materials: https://pifonline.org.uk/resources/health-literacy-matters-infographic/
• Libraries Connected offers online learning modules as part of its work on media literacy and digital skills development: https://lc.learningpool.com/course/index.php?categoryid=29
• The Information Literacy Group website supports practitioners and researchers from around the world with an interest in information and digital literacy: https://infolit.org.uk/

 

Critical Appraisal

If you’d like to take your skills in this area even further and learn how to evaluate research articles for yourself, have a look at the Critical Appraisal pages on your NHS Library and Knowledge Service’s website.

• STHK: https://www.knowledge-nw.nhs.uk/critical-appraisal
• S&O: https://www.sonhslks.com/critical-appraisal-resources.html