Health Literacy Initiative Objectives

The Project SHINE and MetLife Foundation Health Literacy Initiative builds partnerships among universities and community based-organizations nationally to address the health literacy needs of elderly immigrants and refugees.

The project endeavors to:

Increase the ability of elder immigrants to communicate with health care providers and access health care

• Increase opportunities for college students from diverse backgrounds to learn about and address the health literacy needs of immigrant elders
• Increase the cultural competency of future health care professionals
• Develop culturally appropriate health literacy curriculum geared to the literacy abilities of elder immigrants
• Build the capacity of university students, ESL instructors and adult education administrators serving immigrant elders to incorporate health literacy topics into their classes and educational programs