TALK, LISTEN AND ASK FOR BETTER HEALTH THIS MULTICULTURAL HEALTH WEEK
This week is Multicultural Health Week 2018 (3 – 9 September) with the theme Health Literacy with the tagline ‘Talk, Act, Listen – for better health’.
Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant launched Multicultural Health Week this morning at the Liverpool Hospital which was attended by close to 150 people.
Health literacy is about how people understand information about health and health care and how they apply that information to their lives, use it to make decisions and act on it.
The importance of health literacy is reflected in the National Safety and Quality Health Services Standards (second edition) www.nationalstandards.safetyandquality.gov.au / developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare.
The aim of Multicultural Health Week this year is to raise the importance of health literacy for health workers when working with people from multicultural groups. This year, we want to highlight the three domains:
- Verbal communication (such as use of health care interpreters)
- Written communication (such as translated health information that are understandable)
- Wayfinding (signages made easier for consumers to find key health services, as well as conducting hospital tours for newly arrived migrants and refugees)
Please see attached and below the following:
- Multicultural Health Media release
- Multicultural Health Week 2018 Poster
- Key Messages for Media
- New toolkit designed to raise awareness about health literacy to help health workers support clients from CALD backgrounds
- Photos from the launch event (speakers)
- Please visit our NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service (MHCS) Facebook Page www.facebook.com/mhcsnsw to watch the launch event which was recorded live: #Multiculturalhealthweek18.
- Please also visit our MHCS Twitter page https://twitter.com/mhcsnsw.
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NSW HEALTH MEDIA RELEASE: Talk, listen and ask for better health this multicultural health week
3 September, 2018
Talk, listen and ask for better health this Multicultural Health Week
The importance of communicating effectively with consumers from multicultural groups to ensure better health outcomes is being celebrated during Multicultural Health Week across the State this year.
Speaking at Liverpool Hospital today, NSW Health’s Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant launched the 2018 Multicultural Health Week and said the theme this year was Health Literacy – Talk, Listen, Ask – For Better Health.
“With around 22 per cent of all consumers in the health system born in non-English speaking countries, the health literacy of this community is significantly lower than the general population,” Dr Chant said.
“Health literacy is how people understand information about health and health care and how they apply that information to their lives.
“Of those with a first language other than English, approximately 75 per cent had below-adequate health literacy, compared to 54 per cent of people with English as a first language.
“Typically culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities across NSW are also older and have a longer length of stay than other consumers.
“The role of our health workers assisting this population is more crucial than ever.”
Acting Director for the NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service (MHCS), Michael Camit said the NSW Government has developed a new toolkit designed to help health workers support clients from CALD backgrounds.
“It contains information on assessing the need for an interpreter, risks around using friends and family members to interpret and the use of interpreters in health consultations,” Mr Camit said.
“The toolkit covers tips on ways to improve readability of health information, preparing health resources for translations and improve signage for health services as well as advise on hospital tours for newly arrived migrants.
“In 2016, 31.5 per cent of people across NSW spoke a language other than English at home compared to 27.5 per cent in 2011.
“The population of NSW is continually evolving and this week is a great opportunity to celebrate our diversity and vibrancy.”
For more information please go to: www.multiculturalhealthweek.com
NSW Health
Media line: (02) 9391 9121 (B/H) | (02) 9962 9890 (A/H)
Please send all media enquiries to media@health.nsw.gov.au
