Promoting Health Literacy Through Storytelling

Patient education is becoming increasingly important in today’s healthcare environment as chronic conditions become more prevalent. Yet even when education is provided, patients may fail to follow recommendations given by healthcare providers because they do not understand the information provided to them. This article encourages the use of storytelling to present healthcare information in an easily understandable and captivating manner. After discussing health literacy concepts, the author compares the linear and experiential ways of learning and describes how storytelling can be an especially effective way of teaching experiential learners.