Strategies to increase health literacy in the infant feeding series (TIFS): a six-lesson curriculum for low-income mothers.

Low literacy can be a serious barrier to educating audiences about important health issues. This article explicates strategies used to increase health literacy in The Infant Feeding Series, a six-lesson curriculum on infant feeding practices. The curriculum was developed by a multidisciplinary team of researchers, health educators, and community stakeholders with the primary goal of increasing low-income mothers' knowledge and self-efficacy to delay the introduction of solid foods into infants' diets. Strategies used to develop the low literate accessible materials include (a) incorporation of formative research and theory, (b) media components, (c) reading level assessment of materials, (d) review of materials by multiple stakeholders, (e) one-on-one home delivery, (f) pilot evaluation of lessons, and (g) a workbook incentive designed to integrate knowledge and motivate participants to complete the curriculum through scrapbook activities. These strategies are discussed as they relate to lesson content and curriculum effectiveness.