January 2022
In this issue: A year in review
  • Community programs and opportunities
  • Digital literacy workshops
  • Talking about COVID vaccines in your community
  • Medication label initiative
  • Health insurance literacy virtual mini-series
2021 was a busy and productive year! We provided expert health and digital literacy consulting, implemented community workshops, hosted professional development trainings, and made significant progress on our long term projects.

Read through our activities and contact us to see how we can partner with you in 2022. Visit our website for more information.
Community programs and opportunities
WHL developed and implemented a variety of community workshops across Wisconsin. These workshops are designed to help all people understand specific health topics and workbooks are provided to all participants.

There is still time to schedule these workshops in 2022. Please contact us at healthliteracy@wisconsinliteracy.org if you are interested or for more information.

Let's Talk About Pain Medicines

  • 60-minute workshop on safe and effective ways to use pain medication
  • In-person or virtual
  • Workshops can still be scheduled until March 2022 (restricted to specific counties)

This workshop is made possible through support from Security Health Plan and Marshfield Clinic Health Systems

Let's Talk About Preventing Diabetes

  • 60-minute workshop on how to prevent diabetes
  • In-person or virtual
  • Workshops can still be scheduled until March 2022 (restricted to specific counties)

This workshop is made possible through support from Security Health Plan and Marshfield Clinic Health Systems


Improving Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementia Care through Health Literacy: Supporting Unpaid Caregivers

  • 60-minute workshop on health literacy best practices for unpaid caregivers of people with dementia
  • Virtual format with electronic workbook
  • Workshops can still be scheduled until March 2022

This workshop is made possible through support from the RRF Foundation on Aging.

Special thanks to our partners the Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin and the Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources.
Digital literacy workshops
'Health Online: Finding Information You Can Trust' workshops were completed in early 2021. Thanks to the support of the Network of the National Libraries of Medicine, WHL completed 30 community-based workshops and five train-the-trainer sessions.

The project reached a diverse population and helped participants know how to find credible health information online and recognize misinformation. The project reached 16 Wisconsin counties, and also expanded to other counties in the state through statewide library system virtual training.
Talking about COVID vaccines in your community
Thanks to the support of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services COVID-19 Community Outreach Grant, WHL facilitated three 2-part virtual train-the-trainer sessions called 'Talking About the COVID Vaccine in Your Community'. Attendees used the skills and knowledge learned in these sessions to perform outreach in their communities, which covered 87 zip codes across Wisconsin.

Feedback from participants:

"I appreciated the breakout session as it gave a chance to practice what we were discussing. It also brought to light additional questions I wouldn't have thought of until actually being in a situation where I was practicing outreach."

"Thanks for putting this on! Makes me feel a little more confident about talking with people who don't agree with my point of view on something I feel is really important."

WHL will be developing health, science, and digital literacy workshops/educational materials and continuing vaccine community outreach work in 2022.
Medication label initiative
WHL's medication label initiative moved onto Phase 4. We will be working with health systems around Wisconsin to improve the use of clear and explicit medication directions on prescription medication labels.

Funding is provided by the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin (AHW) Endowment of the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Read this article by AHW or watch this video to learn more about this initiative.
Health insurance literacy virtual mini-series
WHL hosted a virtual professional development series for those who help patients, employees, and every day people access, understand, and use their health insurance. The following topics were covered:

  • Communicating Health Insurance 
  • Health Insurance Numeracy
  • Communicating Health Insurance with Seniors 
  • Health Insurance Equity 

Feedback from participants:

"This was a good session overall! The presenters were friendly and knowledgeable. I appreciate the resources and links provided as well."

"Fantastic job! I would love to attend many more professional development sessions about health insurance literacy, especially concerning equity & inclusion."

"Loved the resources and approach to thinking about these situations."

Special thanks to event sponsor WEA Trust. 
Wisconsin Health Literacy | 608-257-1655 | www.wisconsinhealthliteracy.org