Everyday Words for Public Health Communication

Everyday Words for Public Health Communication

Contact: touch; get close to; be near; in the same area as; communicate with; a person who was close to someone who is or was sick
CDC Original Sentences:
Scabies usually is spread by direct, prolonged, skin-to-skin contact with a person who has scabies.
Plain Language Sentences:
You can get scabies when your skin touches the skin of a person with scabies.
Exposure, exposed: openness or closeness to or not protected from something that can cause harm or sickness; chance of getting sick or being harmed; contact with a chemical by swallowing, breathing, or touching.
CDC Original Sentences:
Any penetration of the skin by teeth constitutes a bite exposure.
People are also exposed to secondhand smoke in public places.
Workers at increased risk of UV damage from sun exposure include lifeguards, construction workers, agricultural workers, landscapers, gardeners, and other outdoor workers.
How might I be exposed to formaldehyde?
Plain Language Sentences:
When an animal sick with rabies bites you and breaks the skin, there is a chance you can get sick with rabies.
People can also be harmed by breathing secondhand smoke in public places.
Workers who have a higher chance of skin damage because of long hours in the sun include lifeguards, construction and agricultural workers, landscapers, gardeners, and other outdoor workers.
How might I breathe, swallow, or touch formaldehyde?
Entry Notes: When possible, use words or phrases that indicate how the exposure happens or will affect someone or something.
If you do audience testing of these words or other public health or medical words, please send your results to the health literacy staff in CDC’s Office of Communications at clearcommunication@cdc.gov.