The Center provides research, education, and service to improve health literacy at the individual, family, community, organization, and society levels. We aim to advance health literacy in Maryland and nationwide.
Four resources ground our work: Healthy People 2030 health literacy definitions, Federal Plain Language Guidelines, CDC's Clear Communication Index, and Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards.
The Center was endowed and honors the legacy of Dr. Herschel S. Horowitz, a prominent scientist, educator, and public health advocate.
Maryland's Consumer Health Information Hub
By designation of the Maryland General Assembly, the Horowitz Center is Maryland's Consumer Health Information Hub as of July 1, 2022. We are planning hub activities and value your input! Stay tuned for Hub events starting in 2023.
Health Literacy in Action Conference
The Horowitz Center and the Institute for Healthcare Advancement (IHA) co-sponsor an annual Health Literacy in Action (HLiA) Conference for health literacy professionals and newcomers. The purpose of the conference is to connect ongoing health literacy research, policy, and practice. The 2022 conference was held October 13th and 14th online and featured a wide variety of sessions delivering actionable tools and skills for attendees to bring back to their workplaces.
Paid conference attendees can access the full 2022 conference recordings and slides on the live event page now using the same password they were sent when they registered. Conference materials will be available to all IHA members in mid-December '22 through the IHA Solutions Center! Solution Center membership is free and gives you access to continuing education credits.
Check back in early 2023 for the October 2023 conference dates.
Why Health Literacy is a Core Educational Competency
Chancellor Jay Perman, MD
Dr. Perman recorded the video below to open the first-ever meeting of University System of Maryland (USM) campus representatives to discuss health literacy educational activities. He explained his own experience seeing health literacy issues up close as a practicing pediatric gastroenterologist and the significance of health literacy as part of a USM education. The USM group intends to meet twice a year to share information and best practices in health literacy education and student opportunities.
Horowitz Center COVID-19 communications work
The Center provides health literacy and risk communication expertise on COVID-19. We use mass and social media, public presentations, community outreach, and expert consults.
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Featured Projects
HealthyMe/MiSalud
The Center is funded by NIH to develop and test HealthyMe/MiSalud, a smartphone application in English and Spanish to help African American and Hispanic adults set health goals, ask questions, and get personalized information about common health conditions and preventive services.
Diabetes Prevention
The Center leads and participates in multiple diabetes prevention projects in Maryland. We work with the Maryland Department of Health, local health departments, and Local Health Improvement Coalitions to implement the Maryland Diabetes Action Plan.
Oral Health
The Center leads and participates in many projects to educate the public, providers, and policymakers about oral health diseases and conditions and how to prevent them.