Words are powerful, and health is personal. When designing digital health information products, you have an opportunity to choose language that makes audiences feel seen, included, and respected. The flipside is that language can also alienate, exclude, and disrespect. To establish connection and build trust with your audience, it’s critical to use words that indicate your product is for them. Your language choices can signal that your audience is in the right place, and they’re welcome. Strive to use language that acknowledges people’s backgrounds and experiences, is sensitive to differences, and conveys respect for everyone.
We create content for people with a range of identities, backgrounds, and abilities. And just as there’s no one-size-fits-all way to write for any specific group, language can look very different depending on context. One of the best strategies is to use the language that your audience uses themselves. Ideally, you’ll be able to ask your audience in formative research (see more on design research in Section 2).
Here are some ways to create digital health content that builds trust with your audiences:
- Always use respectful terms to refer to people and avoid stigmatizing or outdated language. For example, use “Black adults” not “Blacks.” And keep in mind that language can convey judgments, stereotypes, biases, and stigma in less obvious ways — like through microaggressions or coded language.
- Choose culturally appropriate examples. Make sure your audience will see themselves in examples of activities, experiences, and so forth. For example, in a nutrition-related tool, make sure to include foods that are common in different cultures and cuisines.
- Avoid reinforcing stereotypes. Check that descriptions and examples don’t perpetuate potentially harmful stereotypes. For example, avoid implying that only women cook for their families.
- Use language that conveys respect for all people. For example, choose terms that don’t offend those with different life experiences or family structures.
- Be mindful of the distinction between person-first language (“people with disabilities”) and identity-first language (“disabled people”). Although many people still consider person-first language to be the more respectful approach, that’s not always the case. For example, many autistic people prefer identity-first language because they see their condition as an important part of who they are.
In addition, there’s important overlap between respectful language and plain language (see Section 4).
