Benign, lesion, palpitation, and hypertension are examples of words commonly heard when you visit a doctor or hospital, but what do they really mean?

Clinical staff often use words that are new or unfamiliar to patients. Although unintentional, words and phrases that may seem obvious to clinicians can be unclear to consumers.[1]

Nearly 6 out of 10 adults in Australia have a low level of health literacy.[2] Health literacy relates to how a person understands and uses health and healthcare information. When clinicians use complex medical terms, it can be harder for consumers to make the best decisions about their health and healthcare.

Most medical terms can be broken down into plain English. Using plain English helps the reader to understand the information the first time they read it. Plain English uses short, clear sentences, and everyday words.

Lower health literacy can make it harder to

• seek treatment
• understand instructions (such as which medication to take)
• manage a condition
• decide between treatment options
• ask questions.

Drop the Jargon was established to bring attention to the language used by staff working in health that is often not understood by consumers. In October each year, the campaign promotes the need for plain English when engaging with patients and consumers.

[1] Royal College of General Practitioners. Health literacy: report from an RCGP led health literacy workshop. June 2014. https://library.hee.nhs.uk/binaries/content/assets...

[2] Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Health literacy: Taking action to improve safety and quality. Sydney: ACSQHC, 2014. https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/...