Seungwoo Lee
Chadwick International School
Abstract
In healthcare, small misunderstandings can have serious consequences. A patient who leaves the hospital unsure how to follow discharge instructions may skip treatment, take medication incorrectly, or avoid activity out of fear. Many plain language initiatives try to solve this problem by shortening sentences or swapping out technical words, but these surface fixes only go so far. This paper looks at plain language through the lens of psycholinguistics, focusing on how readers process, remember, and act on information. By considering cognitive load, sentence structure, and working memory, health materials can be written in a way that patients are more likely to understand and use. Making communication clearer does more than prevent mistakes; it also helps ensure that people with limited literacy or English proficiency have a fair chance at safe and effective care.
