An approach to information accessibility rooted in the missions of Santé publique France

For over 10 years, Santé publique France has been developing, with the support of the National Solidarity Fund for Autonomy (CNSA), an information accessibility initiative for people with disabilities across all its campaigns and tools.

In 2013, two communication guidelines were published—one for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and another for people who are blind or visually impaired. These guidelines were designed with and for the relevant audiences (including experts from the nonprofit, medical, medical-social, and educational sectors, as well as publishing and communications professionals). "This initiative, which initially aimed to specifically address the needs of people with disabilities, has proven, in practice, to be of interest to a broader audience," explains Cécile Allaire, accessibility officer for people with disabilities.

Based on this observation, the first collection of brochures and videos, "Pour Comprendre," was developed in 2015 according to the principles of universal design.

Communicating to Be Understood by Everyone: A New Practical Guide

In a society where access to and mastery of information are essential, information literacy—that is, the ability to understand and use information—is a genuine public health issue. The 2018–2022 National Health Strategy, in fact, sets among its objectives the development of action strategies tailored to specific populations and accessible to all, better informing the public, and integrating health literacy into all student curricula.

To this end, the guide published by Santé publique France sets out recommendations for developing information accessible to all, based on the principles of universal design and taking into account the needs of the audiences it targets.

It is organized into five main chapters:

• The design of printed materials,

• The design and use of images,

• Website and digital media design

• Oral communication

• How to become a literacy-friendly organization?

Each chapter offers best practice suggestions, lists pitfalls to avoid, and provides specific examples for illustration. A table summarizing key practices concludes each section. The specific needs of people with intellectual, hearing, or visual disabilities are taken into account.

The guide is intended primarily for public and private organizations such as municipalities, healthcare facilities, social and medical-social institutions and services, associations, and businesses, across all sectors. It is designed to support all stakeholders in designing and sharing information that is accessible to everyone, regardless of their audience or literacy level.

"Access to information is a shared responsibility. Indeed, understanding and communicating are not solely a matter of individual skills. We hope this guide will enable each of us—health professionals, communicators, and public officials—to communicate and convey information that is readable and understandable by all. This is an essential condition for citizen participation and access to rights," explain François Bourdillon, Director General of Santé publique France, and Anne Burstin, Director of the National Solidarity Fund for Autonomy.

The guide "Communicating for All: A Guide to Accessible Information" was developed in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Research Chair in Literacy and Inclusion (CIRLI) at the Université du Québec en Outaouais and with the support of the National Solidarity Fund for Autonomy (CNSA).