Accessibility in public health: An analysis of two US-based plain language lexicographical resources

This chapter analyses two plain-language lexicographical resources designed to clarify public health communication for lay audiences in the US: the CDC’s Everyday Words for Public Health Communication and the University of Michigan’s Plain Language Medical Dictionary. Adopting a three-pronged analytical framework based on Cheek’s (2010) plain language definitions (formula-based, elements-focused, and outcomes-focused), the study evaluates each resource’s lexical complexity, syntax, and editorial practices. Beyond offering an in-depth assessment of these valuable resources, the chapter frames the adaptation of specialised and often inaccessible health discourses into plain language as (re)construction of the transmission of knowledge that is attentive to users’ needs, interests, and backgrounds. The overarching aims are to promote existing best practices and to identify alternatives that can inform the development of linguistically effective and globally accessible resources.