Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit, 3rd Edition

absence, absence of

no, none, not here, not present, without

accessible

open, ready, within reach, can be used by

accommodate

meet, agree to

accompany

go with, show up with, go along with

accomplish

carry out, do

accordance (with)

agree with, follows

accordingly

so

accurate

correct, exact, right

achieve

do, make

acknowledge

thank you for, accepted, recognized, approved

acquire

get, buy

activate

begin, start, turn on, act

active role

taking part in

activity

something you do (often)

actual

real

acute

sudden, happen without warning, sickness that lasts a short time and goes away

additional

more, added, extra, other

address

discuss, talk about

adhere and adherence:

sticks to

administer

run, handle, direct, manage, to give out

advanced (stages)

late stages, far along

advantageous

helpful, better, useful

adverse

bad

adverse event

injury or hurt

adversely affect/impact

hurt, set back, make worse

advise

recommend, tell

affix

stick, join, attach, add, fasten

afford an opportunity

allow, let

affordable

low cost, at a good price, at a price you can pay

aggregate

total

ailment

sickness, illness, problem with your health

alleviate your symptoms

help you feel better

allergen

something that causes an allergy

allocate

divide, give, share

alternative

choice, option, other

ameliorate

improve, make better

amend

change

analgesic

pain killer

anticipate

expect

apparent

clear, plain, easy to see

apparently

it seems, we think, it looks like

appreciable

many, much, large

appropriate

right, correct, useful

approximately

about

are requested to

please

are required to

must

as a consequence of

because

as a means of

to

ascertain

decide, find out, learn, tell, confirm

assist, assistance

aid, help

associated with

goes along with, is part of, linked to, related to, happens with

attain

meet a goal, get, reach, receive

attempt

try

at the present time

at present, now

authorization

permission, your written permission, your written approval

authorize

let, allow, approve, permit

authorizing disclosures

allowing us to share information

avoid

stay away from, do not use

be advised

know

before any costs are incurred

before we do anything that will cost you

be in the position to

can

beneficial

helpful

benign

is not cancer

burdensome

difficult, hard, tough

capable of, capability

able to, ability, can

caveat

warning

cease

end, stop

chronic

happens again and again, does not end, goes on for a long time

clinical

indicators signs or symptoms of your health problem

collaborate

work together, work with

collect and maintain

get and keep

communicate

tell, let you know

compensate

pay

competent

able to make choices, decisions

complications (flu-caused)

health problems caused by (the flu)

comply with

follow, obey

comprehensive

total, all, the whole, complete, full, major, large

comprise

make, form, include, made up of, gives, is

concept

idea

concerning

about, on

condition

health problem, how you feel

consent

accept, permit, let

consequently

so

consider

think about

constitutes

is, forms, makes up, gives

consult

ask, check with, refer to, look at, talk to, meet

contact

touch, get close to, be near, in the same area as, get in touch with

contagious disease

sickness that you can get from or give to another person

contains

has

contaminated

dirty, unsafe, not clean

contributes to

also causes

currently

now

deceased

dead, someone who died

deductible

the amount you pay before your insurance starts to pay

demographics

personal statistics, personal information

designate

choose, name, select, pick

desire

want, wish

detailed

complete, with all the facts, covers everything

detect

find

determine

decide, figure, find out

detrimental

bad, harmful

develop

make, write, form, create, learn

diagnosis

cause of your illness, what your illness is called

diet

what you eat, your meals

difficulties

problems

disclose

show, share, give, tell

discontinue

drop, stop, end, quit, cancel

disturbance

problem, change, something unusual

documents

records, papers, proof

dosage, dose

amount, how much medicine to take

due to the fact that

since, because

dysfunction

problem

economical

low cost

educate

teach, tell, show

effect, effectiveness

make, result, success, consequence, how something works

effective date

takes effect on, starts on

e.g.

for example

elect

choose, pick

eliminate

cut, drop, end, quit, stop

employ

use

enable

allow, make possible

enclosed

inside, with this ____, included

enlarge

get bigger, make bigger

ensure

make sure

equitable

fair

equivalent

equal, the same

establish

set up, prove, show, start

evaluate

test, check, rate, decide, think about, work out, study

evidence-based

shown to work, proven to work, tested

evident

clear, plain, easy to see

exacerbate

make worse

examination

exam, test

examine

look at, check, test

exceeds

out does, passes, tops, goes beyond, is above

excessive

too many

exclusions

services not covered by the plan, services your insurance does not pay for

exclusively

only

explain

tell, show

extensive

complete, full, goes on for a long time, large, long, major

facilitate

ease, make easier, help, move along, guide

facilities

clinics, offices, buildings

factor

other thing

failed to

did not

feasible

can be done, workable, will work, possible, can do, doable

febrile

feverish

finalize

complete, finish, end

for further instructions

to find out what to do next

formulary drugs

a list of the prescriptions covered by your insurance company

forward

send, give

frequently

often

function

act, role, work, do, serve

fundamental

basic

grant

give

grievance

complaint, problem, you do not agree

guidelines

rules, steps to follow, directions, recommendations

hazardous

not safe, dangerous, harmful, bad, risky

identical

same

identifiable information

personal information that can identify you

identify

find, name, show

i.e.

that is

immediately

at once, now, right now, right away, very soon

impact

affect, change, result

implement

start, put in place, get started, do, follow, carry out, set up

in accordance with

by, following, under

in addition

also, besides, too

incapable

unable, unfit, helpless, cannot do

inception

start, beginning

incomplete

lacking

incorporate

join, put together, combine, bring into

incorrect

wrong

increasingly

more often, more and more

indicate

show, tell, say, list, write down, mark, check off

inform

tell

indicate

show, write down

indication

sign

inflammation

redness, swelling

influenza

flu

inform

tell, share, show, give information

initial

first

initially

at first, first, to start with

initiate

start, begin

injections

shots

in lieu of

instead of, or, in place of

inquiries

questions

in regard to

about, concerning, on

insult

injury, harm

interfere

get in the way of, keep from, cause problems, prevent

intermittent

off and on

intervention

action, treatment, program

irregular

uneven, not usual, not normal

irreversible

cannot be changed, cannot be fixed

lesion

wound

localized

in a small area, in one place, spot

locate

find, put

lucid

clear

magnitude

size

maintain

keep, keep up, care for, look after, save, support, take care of

majority

most, greatest

manage

control, direct, be in charge of, take care of, watch, pay attention to

material change

significant change

maximum

greatest, largest, most

medications

medicines, drugs, pills, syrups

mentioned

told, said, listed

minimize

decrease, lessen, reduce

minimum

least, smallest

modify

change, fix

monitor

check on, watch, keep an eye on

morbidity

sick, sickness

necessitate

cause, make, have to, need to, must

negligible

very small, tiny

non-prescription

not ordered by a doctor, can be bought without a doctor’s order, over the counter

notify

let us know, tell, call

numerous

many, [list a specific number]

observe

watch, see

obtain

get

optimal

best, greatest, most, ideal

optional

by choice

oral

by mouth, swallow

partially

partly

participate

take part in, join, go into, do

perform

do, carry out, end, finish, take

permit

let

permissible

allowed, you can

pertaining to

about, of, on

physician

doctor, provider

portion

part

possess

have, own

precaution

safety measure, care

preclude

prevent, stop, get in the way of

predominant

main

preference

choice, wish, desire, option

prevalent

common, happens often

previous

before, earlier, past, the time before

previously

before

primary

main, key, first

prioritize

rank, put in the right order, put first things first, put things in order of how important they are

prior to

before, earlier

proceed

do, go ahead, try

prohibit

forbid, ban, prevent, don’t

prolonged

stays, lasts, carries on, goes on for a long time, continues

promptly

right away, soon

provide

give, offer, say, supply, list

proximity (to)

close to, near

receive

use, get

recognize

come to see, be aware of

recover

get well, get better, heal

recur

come back

reduce

cut, use less, lower

refer

send to

refrain

stop, stay away

regarding

about, of, on

regardless

no matter what

reject

turn down, deny, refuse

relating to

about, on

remain

stay

remainder

rest, left over

require

must, need, want, lack

requirement

need, rule

reside

live at, live with

resolve

decide, settle, agree, finish, go away, work out

responsible for

in charge of, handles

restriction

limit, rule against

resume

go back to, begin again, go on with, come back

retain

keep

review

check, go over, look at again

revised

new, changed

safeguard

protect, keep safe, save

settle your account

pay your bill

severe

strong, serious, harmful, dangerous, very bad

significant

important, major

similar to

like

solely

only

solicit

ask for, request

specialist

an expert in the field, a doctor who has special training

state

say, tell, write down

statement

bill, charge

state-of-the-art

latest

submit

give, send, mail, bring

subsequent

later, next, following

substantially

largely

sufficient

enough

supplement

add to

supplementary

extra, more

symptoms

problems, signs, or warnings of illness

tablet

pill, dose

thereafter

then, from the on, afterwards

therefore

so, then, for, since

this office

we

timely

prompt

time period

from _____ to _____

toxic

poisonous, unsafe

transmit

send, give to others, pass to others, spread

ultimately

in the end, finally

unforeseen

unplanned, not expected, sudden

urgent

cannot wait long, needs attention very soon

utilize, utilization

use, make use of

warrant

call for, permit

with regard to, with respect to

about

with the exception of

except for

withdraw

take away, remove, take out

witness

see