Have you noticed how much jargon we use at work every day? Better understanding comes from no jargon, no acronyms, just clear plain language.
Tuesday 24 October is Drop the Jargon Day, an annual campaign that coincides with Health Literacy Month – a time when healthcare, community services and government sectors work together to build awareness of health literacy.
Drop the Jargon Day highlights the language we use that our consumers often do not understand. Plain language is more than just using simple words. It is about making sure our message is not only heard but understood.
So, this October, visit the Drop the Jargon website and make the pledge to drop jargon at work and add those jargon terms that annoy you to the Jargon Begone! List.
Together, we can build a world with greater health equity where everyone can attain positive health outcomes.
Here are some examples of jargon we use every day, and a plain language alternative
Abdomen: stomach, stomach area, belly, tummy
Acute: sudden start, short term, quick, lasts a short time and goes away
Chronic: long term, long-lasting
Excessive: too much
Experience: feel, have, go through
Facilitate: make easier, help
Finalise: complete, end, finish, settle
Localised: in a small area, in one place or spot
Monitor: watch, check on, watch for changes, a machine that measures changes
Tachycardia: fast heart rate
Hypertension: high blood pressure
For more information on plain language alternatives, visit Other Resources on the Patient Information intranet page.
Approved by Associate Professor Anjali Dhulia, Chief Medical Officer.