New! Health Literacy from A to Z: Second Edition. 

I'm excited for you to see all the new topics, stories, strategies, and links in this edition. My goal now, as always, is to share practical strategies you can use to clearly and simply communicate health information.

For a limited time, Jones & Bartlett Learning is offering a special promotion of 20% off the book's list price plus free ground shipping within the U.S. When you order, simply enter the discount code, HELEN.   

• Leading a Health Literacy Task Force 
• Health Literacy from A to Z 
• Helping Patients Take Medication Safely & Effectively 

Health Literacy Month is a time to raise awareness about the importance of understandable health information. Here is a sampling of events this year:

Workbase Health Literacy e-News in New Zealand posted daily stories about "Why Health Literacy Matters."   

Carle Foundation Hospital and Physician Group highlighted Health literacy Month with activities for staff, patients, and visitors about what it's like to have low literacy. See their banner at the top of this e-newsletter.

Emmi Solutions hosted a Health Literacy Month blog series, Engaging the Patient.  

Health Literacy Wisconsin launched a statewide flu prevention program for the public. And a conference for professionals, "Do Your Patients Understand?"

New Jersey Health Literacy Coalition was a presenter and part of a panel discussion at the NJ Pharmacists Assocation annual convention. The session was called "A Pharmacists Role in Health Literacy."   

In Alaska, the Anchorage Health Literacy Collaborative hosted a mini-health fair for adult ESL students. More information at the Alaska Literacy Program. 

The October issue of "Pencil Points," from Brian Bass and Cyndy Kryder (authors of "The Accidental Medical Writer") highlighted the need for better communications to improve health literacy.  

In honor of Health Literacy Month, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services co-hosted a Twitter chat with Health Literacy Missouri. Twitter transcript here.  

And I have been busy, too -- speaking at conferences, talking with the media, collecting health literacy stories, interacting with many of you. And, of course, celebrating the new edition of my book, "Health Literacy from A to Z."   

Thank you for raising awareness about why health literacy matters.  

Congratulations to Helen Osborne on the release of Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition.  

Promoting best practices in health communication is vital as the healthcare industry continues to evolve. At Boston University, our goal is to help prepare students for future growth in the field of health communication.  

The award-winning Master of Science in Health Communication online program provides advanced instruction on how to deliver important health information to local, national, and global audiences. Click here to learn more.