Cartilla de Salud
Summary: A bilingual resource to help patients track their health information
When: Spring 2023
Where: Pescadero, CA
Collaborators: Katie Lu, Edward Tran, Puente
Problem
In Pescadero, patients are in need of more accessible health records, due to unreliable internet access, language barriers, and limited availability of medical care.
In 2019, a survey of 217 residents found that the top two requested human services were a health care clinic and better high-speed internet, which suggests a need for offline health resources.
From interviewing residents, we confirmed that many patients faced challenges viewing their online medical records because of unreliable internet access.
Our Solution
We created a bilingual health booklet called the Cartilla de Salud, modeled after a government-issued document in Mexico that is used to track vaccinations, appointments, and health guidelines.
Graphic Design: We chose to closely emulate the design language of the original Cartilla Nacional de Salud so that it would be familiar to residents who had immigrated from Mexico. Indeed, when we presented the cartilla, many residents responded well to the familiarity of the design.
Content: The cartilla was written in both English and Spanish. It included…
- Instructions for patients and physicians
- Fillable charts for medications and appointments
- Guidelines for managing chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes (approved by Dr. Catherine Heaney)
- A QR code leading to a video guide for accessibility
Distribution: We drove to Pescadero and distributed 100 copies of the booklet, in collaboration with a local community organization called Puente. I gave a presentation about the cartilla in Spanish during a community gathering. It was incredibly gratifying to see residents taking extra copies for their families, and talking about how useful the cartilla was back in Mexico.
