[Originally distributed by Wisconsin Health Literacy via the Portage County Literacy Council]

Participants are invited to attend Let’s Talk about Medicines, a free 90 minute program by Wisconsin Health Literacy developed for refugees and immigrants that seeks to provide them with appropriate resources, knowledge and strategies to better understanding their medication.

Let’s Talk about Medicines will take place in the Teen Lounge at the Stevens Point YMCA at 6:00pm on Monday, March 21. The program will be presented by Suriya Xiong, an intern with Wisconsin Health Literacy. Hmong and Spanish translation will be provided (RSVP required). Adults of all ages are welcome.

To sign-up and register for the free program, please contact the local partners for the event: the Portage County Literacy Council (Kristy SeBlonka, 715-345-5341) or CAP Services’ Hmong Uplift Program (Jim Vang, 715-343-7106).

“Literacy skills are the strongest predictor of health status,” according to Kari LaScala, of Wisconsin Health Literacy. “They matter even more than age, income, employment status, education level or racial/ethnic group.” By focusing on safe and effective medicine use, individuals in this program will gain more familiarity about their medications, which can lead to better overall health.

Throughout the 90 minute program, participants will learn a variety of skills and techniques including:
• Learning the difference between a pharmacist and a doctor
• Understanding the main parts of a prescription medicine label
• How to read and interpret special instructions on the label
• Types of containers and labels for solid and liquid medicines
• Dosage instructions and strategies to remember to take your medicine
• Information about over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and how they may interact with other medicines
• Basic storage techniques and more!

Each participant is provided with a free pillbox and workbook to take home, plus the chance to enter into a cash prize drawing at the end of the program.

This project is supported by a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Minority Grant Program. For more information or any questions about the program, please contact Kristy SeBlonka at 715-345-5341 or Jim Vang at 715-343-7106.