scholarly journals An Analysis of the Readability of Educational Materials on the Consumer Webpage of a Health Professional Organization: Considerations for Practice

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naudia Falconer ◽  
E. Reicherter ◽  
Barbara Billek-Sawhney ◽  
Steven Chesbro
Keyword(s):  
Patient Education ◽  
Health Professional ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Sixth Grade ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Professional Organization ◽  
Flesch Reading Ease ◽  
Ease Score ◽  
Site Evaluation ◽  
American Physical

The readability level of many patient education materials is too high for patients to comprehend, placing the patient’s health at risk. Since health professionals often recommend Internet-based patient education resources, they must ensure that the readability of information provided to consumers is at an appropriate level. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the readability of educational brochures found on the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) consumer website. Methods: Fourteen educational brochures on the APTA website in March 2008 were analyzed using the following assessments: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease, Fry Readability Formula, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), Checklist for Patient Education Materials, and Consumer Health Web Site Evaluation Checklist. Results: According to the Flesch-Kincaid and Flesch Reading Ease, over 90% of the brochures were written at greater than a sixth grade level. The mean reading level was grade 10.2 (range = 3.1 to 12) with a Reading Ease score between 31.5 to 79.9. Using the SMOG formula, the brochures had a mean reading level of grade 11.5 (range = 9 to 13). The Fry Readability showed that 85% of the brochures were written higher than a sixth grade level, with a mean reading level of grade 9.5 (range = 6 to 14). Conclusion: Findings suggest that most of the consumer education information available on the website of this health professional organization had readability scores that were too high for average consumers to read.

The quality, understandability, readability, and popularity of online educational materials for heart murmur

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 328-336
Author(s):  
Derya Arslan ◽  
Mahmut Sami Tutar ◽  
Betul Kozanhan ◽  
Zafer Bagci
Keyword(s):  
Grade Level ◽  
Sixth Grade ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Web Pages ◽  
Heart Murmur ◽  
Educational Materials ◽  
Flesch Reading Ease ◽  
Global Quality ◽  
Ease Score ◽  
Grade Reading Level

AbstractObjective:Murmurs are abnormal audible heart sounds produced by turbulent blood flow. Therefore, murmurs in a child may be a source of anxiety for family members. Families often use online materials to explore possible reasons for these murmurs, given the accessibility of information on the Internet. In this study, we evaluated the quality, understandability, readability, and popularity of online materials about heart murmur.Methods:An Internet search was performed for “heart murmur” using the Google search engine. The global quality score (on a scale of 1 to 5, corresponding to poor to excellent quality) and Health on the Net code were used to measure the quality of information presented. The understandability of the web pages identified was measured using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (score range from 0 to 100%, scores below 70% reflect poor performance). The readability of each web pages was assessed using four validated indices: the Flesch Reading Ease Score, the Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level, the Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook, and the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook. The ALEXA traffic tool was used to reference domains’ popularity and visibility.Results:We identified 230 English-language patient educational materials that discussed heart murmur. After exclusion, a total of 86 web pages were evaluated for this study. The average global quality score was 4.34 (SD = 0.71; range from 3 to 5) indicating that the quality of information of most websites was good. Only 14 (16.3%) websites had Health on the Net certification. The mean understandability score for all Internet-based patient educational materials was 74.6% (SD = 12.8%; range from 31.2 to 93.7%). A score suggesting these Internet-based patient educational materials were “easy to understand”. The mean readability levels of all patient educational materials were higher than the recommended sixth-grade reading level, according to all indices applied. This means that the level of readability is difficult. The average grade level for all web pages was 10.4 ± 1.65 (range from 7.53 to 14.13). The Flesch–Kincaid Grade level was 10 ± 1.81, the Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook level was 12.1 ± 1.85, and the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook level was 9.1 ± 1.38. The average Flesch Reading Ease Score was 55 ± 9.1 (range from 32.4 to 72.9).Conclusion:We demonstrated that web pages describing heart murmurs were understandable and high quality. However, the readability level of the websites was above the recommended sixth-grade reading level. Readability of written materials from online sources need to be improved. However, care must be taken to ensure that the information of web pages is of a high quality and understandable.

How readable and reliable is online patient information on chronic rhinosinusitis?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
A Habeeb
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Rhinosinusitis ◽  
Patient Information ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Improve Patient Compliance ◽  
Flesch Reading Ease ◽  
Ease Score ◽  
Improve Patient ◽  
Average Adult

Abstract Objective This study aimed to assess the quality and readability of websites on chronic rhinosinusitis. Methods A total of 180 results from 3 different search engines regarding ‘chronic rhinosinusitis’, ‘sinusitis’ and ‘sinus infections’ were analysed for readability using the Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease Score and Gunning Fog Index. The Discern tool was used to approximate information quality. Results From 180 total searches, 69 unique websites were identified. These had an average Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level of 9.75 (95 per cent confidence interval = 9.12–10.4), a Flesch Reading Ease Score of 45.0 (41.0–49.0) and a Gunning Fog Index of 13.7 (12.9–14.4), which equates to the average reading level of a college or university student. Discern scores were variable but consistently showed good-quality information. Conclusion Chronic rhinosinusitis information is of a high quality but is for a reading level higher than that of the average adult. Standardising patient information should ensure adequate comprehension and improve patient compliance.

scholarly journals Quality Assessment of Online Patient Information for Cosmetic Botulinum Toxin

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (11) ◽  
pp. NP636-NP642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Barbarite ◽  
David Shaye ◽  
Samuel Oyer ◽  
Linda N Lee
Keyword(s):  
Botulinum Toxin ◽  
Patient Education ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Botulinum Toxin Injection ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Accuracy Score ◽  
Flesch Reading Ease

Abstract Background In an era of widespread Internet access, patients increasingly look online for health information. Given the frequency with which cosmetic botulinum toxin injection is performed, there is a need to provide patients with high-quality information about this procedure. Objectives The aim of this study was to examine the quality of printed online education materials (POEMs) about cosmetic botulinum toxin. Methods An Internet search was performed to identify 32 websites of various authorship types. Materials were evaluated for accuracy and inclusion of key content points. Readability was measured by Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level. Understandability and actionability were assessed with the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Printed Materials. The effect of authorship was measured by undertaking analysis of variance between groups. Results The mean [standard deviation] accuracy score among all POEMs was 4.2 [0.7], which represents an accuracy of 76% to 99%. Mean comprehensiveness was 47.0% [16.4%]. Mean Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level and Flesch Reading Ease scores were 10.7 [2.1] and 47.9 [10.0], respectively. Mean understandability and actionability were 62.8% [18.8%] and 36.2% [26.5%], respectively. There were no significant differences between accuracy (P > 0.2), comprehensiveness (P > 0.5), readability (P > 0.1), understandability (P > 0.3), or actionability (P > 0.2) by authorship. Conclusions There is wide variability in the quality of cosmetic botulinum toxin POEMs regardless of authorship type. The majority of materials are written above the recommended reading level and fail to include important content points. It is critical that providers take an active role in the evaluation and endorsement of online patient education materials.

Readability Assessment of Patient Education Materials on Major Otolaryngology Association Websites

2012 ◽  
Vol 147 (5) ◽  
pp. 848-854 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Anderson Eloy ◽  
Shawn Li ◽  
Khushabu Kasabwala ◽  
Nitin Agarwal ◽  
David R. Hansberry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Patient Education ◽  
Sixth Grade ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Flesch Reading Ease ◽  
Education Material ◽  
Individual Assessment ◽  
Honestly Significant Difference ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Grade Reading Level ◽  
Post Hoc

Objective Various otolaryngology associations provide Internet-based patient education material (IPEM) to the general public. However, this information may be written above the fourth- to sixth-grade reading level recommended by the American Medical Association (AMA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH). The purpose of this study was to assess the readability of otolaryngology-related IPEMs on various otolaryngology association websites and to determine whether they are above the recommended reading level for patient education materials. Study Design and Setting Analysis of patient education materials from 9 major otolaryngology association websites. Methods The readability of 262 otolaryngology-related IPEMs was assessed with 8 numerical and 2 graphical readability tools. Averages were evaluated against national recommendations and between each source using analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc Tukey’s honestly significant difference (HSD) analysis. Mean readability scores for each otolaryngology association website were compared. Results Mean website readability scores using Flesch Reading Ease test, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Coleman-Liau Index, SMOG grading, Gunning Fog Index, New Dale-Chall Readability Formula, FORCAST Formula, New Fog Count Test, Raygor Readability Estimate, and the Fry Readability Graph ranged from 20.0 to 57.8, 9.7 to 17.1, 10.7 to 15.9, 11.6 to 18.2, 10.9 to 15.0, 8.6 to 16.0, 10.4 to 12.1, 8.5 to 11.8, 10.5 to 17.0, and 10.0 to 17.0, respectively. ANOVA results indicate a significant difference ( P < .05) between the websites for each individual assessment. Conclusion The IPEMs found on all otolaryngology association websites exceed the recommended fourth- to sixth-grade reading level.

scholarly journals Dupuytren's Contracture: The Readability of Online Information

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 237437352110564
Author(s):  
Shayan Hosseinzadeh ◽  
Philip Blazar ◽  
Brandon E Earp ◽  
Dafang Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Patient Information ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Sixth Grade ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Dupuytren’S Contracture ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Flesch Reading Ease ◽  
Dupuytren's Contracture ◽  
Reading Grade Level ◽  
Grade Reading Level

Dupuytren's contracture is a common hand pathology for which consultation and treatment are largely at the patient's discretion. The objective of this study was to evaluate the readability of current online patient information regarding Dupuytren's contracture. The largest public search engines (Google, Yahoo, and Bing) were queried using the search terms “Dupuytren's contracture,” “Dupuytren's disease,” “Viking's disease,” and “bent finger.” The first 30 unique websites by each search were analyzed and readability assessed using five established algorithms: Flesch Reading Ease, Gunning-Fog Index, Flesch–Kincaid Grade level, Coleman–Liau index, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook grade level. Analysis of 73 websites demonstrated an average Flesch Reading Ease score of 48.6 ± 8.0, which corresponds to college reading level. The readability of websites ranged from 10.5 to 13.3 reading grade level. No article was written at or below the recommended sixth grade reading level. Information on the internet on Dupuytren's contracture is written at higher than recommended reading grade level. There is a need for high-quality patient information on Dupuytren's contracture at appropriate reading grade levels for patients of various health literacy backgrounds. Hospitals, universities, and academic organizations focused on the development of readable online information should consider patients’ input and preferences.

Critical Quality and Readability Analysis of Online Patient Education Materials on Parotidectomy: A Cross-Sectional Study

2022 ◽  
pp. 000348942110666
Author(s):  
Elysia Miriam Grose ◽  
Emily YiQin Cheng ◽  
Marc Levin ◽  
Justine Philteos ◽  
Jong Wook Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Patient Education ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Flesch Reading Ease ◽  
Ease Score ◽  
Google Search ◽  
Online Patient Education

Purpose: Complications related to parotidectomy can cause significant morbidity, and thus, the decision to pursue this surgery needs to be well-informed. Given that information available online plays a critical role in patient education, this study aimed to evaluate the readability and quality of online patient education materials (PEMs) regarding parotidectomy. Methods: A Google search was performed using the term “parotidectomy” and the first 10 pages of the search were analyzed. Quality and reliability of the online information was assessed using the DISCERN instrument. Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) and Flesch-Reading Ease Score (FRE) were used to evaluate readability. Results: Thirty-five PEMs met the inclusion criteria. The average FRE score was 59.3 and 16 (46%) of the online PEMs had FRE scores below 60 indicating that they were fairly difficult to very difficult to read. The average grade level of the PEMs was above the eighth grade when evaluated with the FKGL. The average DISCERN score was 41.7, which is indicative of fair quality. There were no significant differences between PEMs originating from medical institutions and PEMs originating from other sources in terms of quality or readability. Conclusion: Online PEMs on parotidectomy may not be comprehensible to the average individual. This study highlights the need for the development of more appropriate PEMs to inform patients about parotidectomy.

Quality, Readability, and Trends for Websites on Ankyloglossia

2018 ◽  
Vol 127 (7) ◽  
pp. 439-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Leigh Aaronson ◽  
Johnathan Edward Castaño ◽  
Jeffrey P. Simons ◽  
Noel Jabbour
Keyword(s):  
Grade Level ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Google Trends ◽  
Optimal Range ◽  
Flesch Reading Ease ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Reading Grade Level ◽  
Public Health Information ◽  
Ease Score ◽  
Readability Formula

Objective: This study evaluates the quality and readability of websites on ankyloglossia, tongue tie, and frenulectomy. Methods: Google was queried with six search terms: tongue tie, tongue tie and breastfeeding, tongue tie and frenulectomy, ankyloglossia, ankyloglossia and breastfeeding, and ankyloglossia and frenulectomy. Website quality was assessed using the DISCERN instrument. Readability was evaluated using the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease Score, and Fry readability formula. Correlations were calculated. Search terms were analyzed for frequency using Google Trends and the NCBI database. Results: Of the maximum of 80, average DISCERN score for the websites was 65.7 (SD = 9.1, median = 65). Mean score for the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level was 11.6 (SD = 3.0, median = 10.7). Two websites (10%) were in the optimal range of 6 to 8. Google Trends shows tongue tie searches increasing in frequency, although the NCBI database showed a decreased in tongue tie articles. Conclusions: Most of the websites on ankyloglossia were of good quality; however, a majority were above the recommended reading level for public health information. Parents increasingly seek information on ankyloglossia online, while fewer investigators are publishing articles on this topic.

Quality of Patient Education Materials on Safe Opioid Management in the Acute Perioperative Period: What Do Patients Find Online?

Pain Medicine ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunjan Kumar ◽  
Kellie M Jaremko ◽  
Alex Kou ◽  
Steven K Howard ◽  
T Kyle Harrison ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Patient Education ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Perioperative Period ◽  
Postoperative Pain Management ◽  
Sixth Grade ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Specific Content ◽  
Caregiver Education ◽  
Institutional Review ◽  
Grade Reading Level

Abstract Objective Guidelines on postoperative pain management recommend inclusion of patient and caregiver education on opioid safety. Patient education materials (PEMs) should be written at or below a sixth grade reading level. We designed this study to compare the readability of online PEMs related to postoperative opioid management produced by institutions with and without a regional anesthesiology and acute pain medicine (RAAPM) fellowship. Methods With institutional review board exemption, we constructed our cohort of PEMs by searching RAAPM fellowship websites from North American academic medical centers and identified additional websites using structured Internet searches. Readability metrics were calculated from PEMs using the TextStat 0.4.1 textual analysis package for Python 2.7. The primary outcome was the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), a score based on words per sentence and syllables per word. We also compared fellowship-based and nonfellowship PEMs on the presence or absence of specific content-related items. Results PEMs from 15 fellowship and 23 nonfellowship institutions were included. The mean (SD) FKGL for PEMs was grade 7.84 (1.98) compared with the recommended sixth grade level (P &lt; 0.001) and was not different between groups. Less than half of online PEMs contained explicit discussion of opioid tapering or cessation. Disposal and overdose risk were addressed more often by nonfellowship PEMs. Conclusions Available online PEMs related to opioid management are beyond the recommended reading level, but readability metrics for online PEMs do not differ between fellowship and nonfellowship groups. More than two-thirds of RAAPM fellowship programs in North America are lacking readable online PEMs on safe postoperative opioid management.

Quality of Patient Education Sections on Otitis Media Across Different Website Platforms

2020 ◽  
Vol 129 (6) ◽  
pp. 591-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kunal Ramanand Shetty ◽  
Rita Yu Wang ◽  
Anisha Shetty ◽  
Jessica Levi ◽  
Nicole Leigh Aaronson
Keyword(s):  
Patient Education ◽  
American Academy ◽  
Otitis Media ◽  
Neck Surgery ◽  
Educational Background ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Flesch Reading Ease ◽  
8Th Grade ◽  
Ease Score ◽  
Grade Reading Level

Objective: To determine the quality, content, and readability of patient education materials pertaining to otitis media across several popular online platforms focused on otolaryngology and pediatric primary care education. Methods: Online patient materials related to otitis media and directed toward parents were collected from the American Association for Family Practice (AAFP), ENT-Health section of the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Healthychildren.org from the American Academy of Pediatrics, KidsHealth from Nemours, WebMD, and Wikipedia. Materials were analyzed for quality, content, and readability. The DISCERN instrument was used to score quality. A unique content score was generated based on the information provided on each website and on the medical and surgical management of otitis media. Readability scores were calculated using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease Score, Gunning-Fog Index, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, Coleman-Liau Index, and Automated Readability Index. Results: Overall, content was well-balanced. Information from AAFP and Healthychildren.org was focused more on medical management than other sources. The average DISCERN scores showed all sources to be of good quality with minimal shortcomings. The AAFP and KidsHealth websites had some readability scores around the 8th-grade reading level, the National Institute of Health’s upper limit recommended for public health information; however, most websites were above this recommended reading level. Conclusion: Patient education materials related to otitis media on academic and certain popular internet sites are good sources to obtain high-quality information on the topic. Patient educational background, prior knowledge and understanding of otitis media, and physician-patient partnership goals should be taken into account when referring patients to online materials.

scholarly journals SUFE and the internet: are healthcare information websites accessible to parents?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. e000782
Author(s):  
Andrea Mc Carthy ◽  
Colm Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Grade Level ◽  
Surgical Intervention ◽  
Sixth Grade ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Flesch Reading Ease ◽  
Reading Grade Level ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Ease Score ◽  
Slipped Upper Femoral Epiphysis ◽  
Translation Services

BackgroundSlipped upper femoral epiphysis is an adolescent hip disorder requiring rapid surgical intervention. Faced with the prospect of their child undergoing surgery, many fearful parents will turn to the internet to provide information and reassurance. Previous studies have shown the orthopaedic information can be difficult to comprehend.ObjectiveAssess the readability of healthcare websites regarding slipped upper femoral epiphysis.MethodsThe term Slipped Upper Femoral Epiphysis was searched in Google, Bing and Yahoo. The websites were evaluated using readability software with seven specialised readability tests including the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level, the Flesch Reading Ease Score, the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, Coleman-Liau Index, Automated Readability Index and the Gunning Fog Index. The reading grade level (RGL) was also calculated.A Flesich Read Ease Score (FRES) score above 65 and an RGL of sixth grade and under was considered acceptable. Websites were also assessed for translation services.Results21 unique websites were assessed. The average FRES was 52.5±15.4. Only 3 websites scored 65 or higher (14%). There was a statistically significant difference between website scores based on affiliation, with physician websites having the overall highest mean(p=0.004).The average RGL was 8.67±1.8. Only two websites met the accepted RGL criteria (9.5%) while five websites were marked as extremely difficult to understand (23.8%). Only five websites offered translations (23.8%). There was no statistically significant difference in readability scores between websites which offered translation and those which did not.One-sample t-tests showed that both the RGL (p<0.001; CI 1.83 to 3.49) and the FRES (p<0.001, CI −19.4 to −5.4) scores were significantly different from the accepted standard.ConclusionMost websites reviewed were above the recommended RGL, making content inaccessible. Improving readability and translation services would enhance the internet’s usability as a healthcare tool for parents.

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