Spreading good health information in resource-poor settings

Problem

Delivering health information in low to middle income countries is far from straightforward. Sub-Saharan Africa has one of the lowest adult literacy rates in the world¹ with 182 million adults unable to read and write². More than 60% are women and fourteen of the 22 countries in the world with literacy rates below 60% are in sub-Saharan Africa³.

Solution

Speaking Books are one validated approach for tackling the many constraints of spreading good health information in resource-poor settings. Studio Health supported the launch of ‘The Safe Use of Medicines’ speaking book in Uganda and Senegal, working with the book’s sponsor Pfizer to distribute the book through local healthcare professional groups and stakeholders. The book uses colourful illustrations, straightforward text and sound recordings, allowing the reader to understand key information in the way that is easiest for them. It was designed specifically for Sub-Saharan Africa with local artists and voices involved in the book’s development.

Benefit

Studio Health delivered effective health information to communities in Uganda and Senegal supporting healthcare professionals in their roles to deliver health information to patients with limited health literacy. To learn more about Speaking Books visit speakingbooks.com. This work was presented as a poster at the World Congress of Public Health (2012) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.