Resources for librarians
The following resources provide information for patients in a variety of languages, as well as guidelines for health care providers on providing culturally sensitive care.
- LocatorPlus – search the collections of the National Library of Medicine
- Multicultural resources
- Culturally and linguistically appropriate health care
- Health information in Spanish
- Health literacy
- Health resources for low literacy
- Health resources for low vision or blindness
Multicultural resources
- EthnoMed – culturally sensitive patient handouts in multiple languages
- Asian American Health – an information portal to issues affecting the health and well-being of Asian-Americans
- Cross Cultural Health Care Program – ensures under-served communities have full access to quality health care that is culturally and linguistically appropriate
- Jehovah’s Witnesses – discussions of the use of blood transfusion, among other medical issues, within the Jehovah's Witnesses
- SPIRAL: Selected Patient Information Resources in Asian Languages – provides access to health information in several Asian languages and links to a variety of Asian and Pacific Islander health resources
- U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants – information on various health-related issues in multiple languages including Arabic, Farsi (Persian), French, Burmese, Kirundi, Vietnamese, English and Russian
- Health Information Translations – valuable resources for health care education in multiple languages for diverse communities.
- National Center for Farmworker Health – easy-to-read information on a variety of health topics in Spanish and English
Culturally and linguistically appropriate health care
- CLAS ACT Virginia – culturally and linguistically appropriate health care services resource guide
- Assuring Cultural Competence in Health Care – recommended standards for culturally and linguistically appropriate health care from the U.S. Office of Minority Health
- Diversity Rx – standards of practice for medical interpreters dealing with diverse patient populations
Health information in Spanish
- Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC en Español) – Spanish-language information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Easy to Read – Spanish-language health information provided by MedlinePlus
- Latino Cardiovascular Health – educational materials in Spanish and English for the Hispanic community from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
- Health fact sheets – educational materials available in Spanish and English from the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, the nation’s oldest and largest network of Hispanic health and human service providers
- MedlinePlus en Espanol – reliable Spanish-language health information and “Tutorials Interactivos” slide shows with sound
- NOAH: New York Online Access to Health – searchable consumer health information website in Spanish and English from the New York Public Library
- National Institutes of Health – searchable information by health categories in Spanish and English
- Virginia Department of Health – Office of Epidemiology – extensive list of infectious diseases, with fact sheets in English and in Spanish
- Institutos Nacionales de la Salud – health resources from the National Institutes of Health in Spanish
Health literacy
- Health Literacy Special Collection – offers links to websites containing health information written in selected languages and easy-to-read formats
- Materials development and assessment – resources for writing and assessing easy-to-read, audience-centered health information
- User’s Guide for Finding and Evaluating Health Information on the Web – Medical Library Association guide for physicians and patients on finding and assessing quality health information online
- National Patient Safety Foundation’s Ask Me 3 – patient education program designed to promote communication between health care providers and patients to improve health outcomes
- Health literacy fact sheets [PDF] – instructions on how to develop materials that are easy-to-understand, simple and attractive
- Easy-to-Read health materials in English or Spanish – collected health information developed by MedlinePlus
- National Center for Farmworker Health – dedicated to improving the health of farm worker families by providing information in English and Spanish, as well as a network of migrant health service sites in the U.S.
Health resources for low literacy
- Beyond the Brochure: Alternative Approaches to Effective Health Communication [PDF] – a booklet about different ways to communicate with low-literacy clients, such as posters, fotonovelas, drama, games and audiovisual materials
- Choosing Quality Care – resources for choosing health care, aimed at people with limited literacy and available in English and Spanish
- Consumer resources – consumer updates, including low-literacy health brochures in both English and Spanish, from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Health resources for low vision or blindness
- Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired – resources for Virginia residents that enable blind or visually impaired individuals to achieve their maximum level of employment, education and personal independence
- Low vision quiz in English or Spanish – National Eye Institute quiz to identify signs of low vision
- Macular Degeneration Partnership– information, resources and support for people with macular degeneration and their families and caregivers
- MedlinePlus: For Low Vision Users – health information with large fonts, easy-to-read language and audio formats
- National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped – a free library program of Braille and audio materials circulated to eligible borrowers in the U.S. by postage-free mail