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Stroke education materials are crucial for the recovery of stroke patients, but their effectiveness depends on their readability. The American Medical Association (AMA) recommends patient education materials be written at a sixth-grade level. Studies show existing paper and online materials exceed patients' reading levels and undermine their health literacy. Low health literacy among stroke patients is associated with worse health outcomes and decreased efficacy of stroke rehabilitation. We reviewed the readability of paper (i.e brochures, factsheets, posters) and online (i.e American Stroke Association, Google, Yahoo!) stroke patient education materials, reading level of stroke patients, accessibility of online health information, patients' perceptions on gaps in stroke information, and provided recommendations for improving readability. A PRISMA-guided systematic literature review was conducted using PUBMED, Google Scholar, and EbscoHost databases and "stroke", "readability of stroke patient education", and "stroke readability" search terms to discover English-language articles. A total of 12 articles were reviewed. SMOG scores for paper and online material ranged from 11.0 - 12.0 grade level and 7.8 - 13.95 grade level respectively. Reading level of stroke patients ranged from 3rd grade to 9th grade level or above. Accessibility of online stroke information was high. Structured patient interviews illustrated gaps in patient education materials and difficulty with comprehension. Paper and online patient education materials exceed the reading level of stroke patients and the AMA recommended 6th grade level. Due to limitations in readability, stroke patients are not being adequately educated about their condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to assess the quality and readability of online resources regarding postoperative pain control for patients having undergone total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), along with identifying gaps among the types of information. Three search engines were used to conduct internet searches utilizing a combination of TSA and pain management search phrases. The top 20 web pages from each search engine were gathered, reviewed, and scored by five different evaluators. Scoring was performed using 30-point criteria, integrated into an overall quality of resource (QR) score considered significant for patient education about TSA and pain management according to American Pain Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' published recommendations (Table I). Domain scores (route of administration, type of analgesia, opioid-specific, and general guidance) were calculated by summing the total points and dividing by the total possible score for each domain. The reading level of the Flesch-Kinkaid grade level, the Flesch reading ease, and the simple measure of gobbledygook index was also assessed. The overall readability was low, with a mean Flesch-Kincaid grade level score of 10.3 ± 2.0 and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook score of 9.9 ± 1.5. According to this index, only one website (2.3%) was written below the suggested 6th grade reading level. There was a mean QR score of 9.6/30 points, ranging from 2 to 22 (Table II). Most resources (90.9%) did not achieve greater than 50% of the total available points (greater than 15 out of 30). Of the domains, the mean score for route of administration was 31.8%, types of analgesia was 43.6%, opioid-specific was 11.4%, and general guidance was 43.2%. Opioid-specific scores were lower than all three other domain scores (all P <.001). According to our findings, current online resources for pain management following TSA are written above the average literacy level for adults in the United States and lack educational content, especially regarding opioid-specific discussion and recommendations. Resources must target gaps in online patient education to better inform patients of postoperative pain control, convey expectations, and encourage patient-physician conversations and decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study modified the educational content of an evidence-based fall prevention intervention to make it visually accessible for older adults with low vision. We piloted the intervention on 9 older adults receiving low vision rehabilitation services. Following the intervention, participants demonstrated increased comprehension of the content, perceived a greater understanding of fall prevention strategies, and reported high satisfaction with the intervention's accessibility. Individuals with low vision may have difficulty reading and comprehending printed educational materials. Modifying print materials to improve readability may result in greater understanding of the educational content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online patient education materials (OPEMs) are an increasingly popular resource for women seeking information about breast cancer. The AMA recommends written patient material to be at or below a 6th grade level to meet the general public's health literacy. Metrics such as quality, understandability, and actionability also heavily influence the usability of health information, and thus should be evaluated alongside readability. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine: 1) Average readability scores and reporting methodologies of breast cancer readability studies; and 2) Inclusion frequency of additional health literacy-associated metrics. A registered systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in Ovid MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase.com , CENTRAL via Ovid, and ClinicalTrials.gov in June 2022 in adherence with the PRISMA 2020 statement. Eligible studies performed readability analyses on English-language breast cancer-related OPEMs. Study characteristics, readability data, and reporting of non-readability health literacy metrics were extracted. Meta-analysis estimates were derived from generalized linear mixed modeling. The meta-analysis included 30 studies yielding 4462 OPEMs. Overall, average readability was 11.81 (95% CI [11.14, 12.49]), with a significant difference (p < 0.001) when grouped by OPEM categories. Commercial organizations had the highest average readability at 12.2 [11.3,13.0]; non-profit organizations had one of the lowest at 11.3 [10.6,12.0]. Readability also varied by index, with New Fog, Lexile, and FORCAST having the lowest average scores (9.4 [8.6, 10.3], 10.4 [10.0, 10.8], and 10.7 [10.2, 11.1], respectively). Only 57% of studies calculated average readability with more than two indices. Only 60% of studies assessed other OPEM metrics associated with health literacy. Average readability of breast cancer OPEMs is nearly double the AMA's recommended 6th grade level. Readability and other health literacy-associated metrics are inconsistently reported in the current literature. Standardization of future readability studies, with a focus on holistic evaluation of patient materials, may aid shared decision-making and be critical to increased screening rates and breast cancer awareness. • Average readability was 11.81, twice the recommended AMA 6th grade reading level. • Readability studies measure and report readability with variable methodologies. • Many readability studies (40%) do not measure additional health literacy metrics. • Standardizing readability studies may improve evaluation and usability of OPEMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the readability, understandability, and actionability of online patient education materials (OPEM) related to breast cancer risk assessment. We queried seven English-language search terms related to breast cancer risk assessment: breast cancer high-risk, breast cancer risk factors, breast cancer family history, BRCA, breast cancer risk assessment, Tyrer-Cuzick, and Gail model. Websites were categorized as: academic/hospital-based, commercial, government, non-profit or academic based on the organization hosting the site. Grade-level readability of qualifying websites and categories was determined using readability metrics and generalized estimating equations based on written content only. Readability scores were compared to the recommended parameters set by the American Medical Association (AMA). Understandability and actionability of OPEM related to breast cancer high-risk were evaluated using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) and compared to criteria set at ≥70%. Descriptive statistics and inter-rater reliability analysis were utilized. 343 websites were identified, of which 162 met study inclusion criteria. The average grade readability score was 12.1 across all websites (range 10.8–13.4). No website met the AMA recommendation. Commercial websites demonstrated the highest overall average readability of 13.1. Of the 26 websites related to the search term breast cancer high-risk, the average understandability and actionability scores were 62% and 34% respectively, both below criteria. OPEM on breast cancer risk assessment available to the general public do not meet criteria for readability, understandability, or actionability. To ensure patient comprehension of medical information online, future information should be published in simpler, more appropriate terms. • The average grade readability score of breast cancer risk assessment online education materials was 12.1 • No website met the AMA recommendation of a sixth-grade reading level. • To ensure patient comprehension, future information should be published in simpler, more appropriate terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Only 6% of ED discharge instructions of mTBI complied with national clinical practice guidelines's recommendations. • The mTBI discharge instructions provided at ED were difficult to understand and act upon. • Readability level of mTBI discharge instructions can be optimised without attenuating the important information. • No discharge instructions listed post-concussion symptoms and yet great emphasis given only on emergency symptoms of mTBI. Emergency departments (EDs) routinely provide discharge instructions due to a large number of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) being discharged home directly from ED. This study aims to evaluate the quality of available mTBI discharge instructions provided by EDs of Malaysia government hospitals. All 132 EDs were requested for a copy of written discharge instruction given to the patients. The mTBI discharge instructions were evaluated using the Patient Education Materials Assessment-Printable Tool (PEMAT-P) for understandability and actionability. Readability was measured using an online readability tool of Malay text. The content was compared against the discharge instructions recommended by established guidelines. 49 articles were eligible for the study. 26 of the articles met the criteria of understandability, and 3 met the criteria for actionability. The average readability level met the ability of average adult. Most of the discharge instructions focused on emergency symptoms, and none contained post-concussion features. Majority of the discharge instructions provided were appropriate for average people to read but difficult to understand and act upon. Important information was neglected in most discharge instructions. Thus, revision and future development of mTBI discharge instruction should consider health literacy demand and cognitive ability to process such information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this pilot study, we developed and assessed acceptability of a brochure for women with dense breasts. We measured Flesch-Kincaid Readability of 22 existing breast density educational materials. We then developed a brochure and tested it in two populations of women: 44 safety net hospital patients and 13 Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium stakeholders. Average grade score of existing materials was 10.0 (range: 5.5–12.7). Our brochure had a grade score of 5.9, and patients reported it was easy to understand. Our plain language brochure could improve patient understanding following mandatory dense breast notification. • Readability of 22 existing breast density educational materials was assessed. • Guided by patient advocates, we developed a print breast density educational brochure. • Brochure acceptability was assessed in focus groups and an online discussion group. • Existing educational materials had low readability. • Our brochure had high readability and can be used to support women with dense breasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients are increasingly using the Internet to access health information. Patient awareness and education are crucial to advancing the field of PM&R, but many U.S. adults have insufficient health literacy skills to read and understand patient education materials (PEM), frequently written at the 10th-15th-grade level. Reading ability is key for health literacy, but no previous research has assessed the readability of PEM provided by professional PM&R societies.Objectives: Evaluate whether the readability of PM&R PEM meets the NIH-recommended eighth-grade reading level; compare readability of PM&R PEM to two commonly accessed patient resources for sports and rehabilitation medicine topics, handouts from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), whose readability has been previously analyzed.Design: Cross-sectional study.Methods: Publicly accessible entries within the patient education section of websites sanctioned by professional PM&R societies, as well as the AAOS and AAFP, were analyzed for readability using two validated and widely used tools, the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) and Simplified Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) formulas. Comparative statistics were performed between the three surveyed specialties.Main Outcome Measures: FKGL and SMOG readability scores, which estimate U.S. grade level, or years of education, needed to comprehend text.Results: A total of 167 online PM&R resources were identified and compared to 94 articles from AAOS and 65 from AAFP. Mean SMOG and FKGL levels exceeded the eighth-grade level for both PM&R (SMOG-9.71, 95% CI 9.42-10.0; FKGL-10.35, 95% CI 9.99-10.7) and AAOS (SMOG-9.15, 95% CI 8.96-9.35; FKGL-9.51, 95% CI 9.29-9.74), whereas AAFP met readability guidelines for both measures (SMOG-7.00, 95% CI 6.74-7.27; FKGL-6.76, 95% CI 6.45-7.07). SMOG and FKGL scores suggested significantly higher reading difficulty for PM&R compared to AAOS (SMOG P = .017; FKGL P = .0001) and AAFP (SMOG P < .0001; FKGL P < .0001). Results indicated that 17% of PM&R resources complied with NIH guidelines, vs 8% for AAOS and 83% for AAFP.Conclusions: The average readability of PM&R PEM exceeds the NIH-recommended and average U.S. adult eighth-grade reading level. The physiatry community can make its patient materials more comprehensible and accessible for patients by providing resources at a more appropriate reading level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: More patients are now taking high-risk medicines such as non–vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs). Hence, patient education materials need to be in an understandable format so that they can be empowered to act on their knowledge. Factors such as health literacy and the design of the medicine information material may influence the patient's ability to understand and act on key information. Method: The PRISMA checklist was used to inform the study design. A structured search was conducted to obtain all freely accessible online educational resources designed for patients about the non–vitamin K antagonists (NOACs) during August 2018. Three search engines were used: Google, Yahoo! and Bing, using the search terms "NOAC" and "anticoagulant" combined with "patient/consumer information and patient/consumer resources."We applied the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) to evaluate web-based patient education materials in terms of understandability and actionability for patients taking NOACs. Results: Of the 35 materials included, the majority of the materials (n = 32, 91%) were rated as highly understandable (PEMAT score ≥ \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\ge $$\end{document} 70%), and more than three-quarters of all the materials (n = 29, 83%) were rated as poorly actionable (PEMAT score <70%). For understandability, the majority of materials neither provided a summary of the key points nor used visual aids for several items such as simple tables, illustrations, and photographs. For actionability, few materials provided a tangible tool, such as a checklist, to prompt the user into action (n = 4). Few used visual aids such as nonverbal cues to the written instructions (n = 4). Conclusion: To improve the understandability and actionability of most of the NOAC patient education materials, there is a need to include more summaries of information, visual aids, and tangible tools such as checklists. Further research is warranted where patients are involved in providing feedback on the design of medicine information materials for NOACs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients often experience anxiety and feel overwhelmed by the prospect of undergoing open-heart surgery. Randomized controlled trials have found preoperative education materials and counseling to reduce levels of patient anxiety, depression, and perioperative complications following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)/valve surgery. Objective: The purposes of this performance improvement project were to develop preoperative teaching materials for cardiac surgery inpatients and evaluate their usability. Methods: Existing CABG/valve teaching materials were evaluated. A new booklet was developed through an iterative process. An expert panel reviewed the final draft using the patient education materials assessment tool for printable materials (PEMAT-P). Patients were surveyed for usability and usefulness. Results: Expert reviewer results for using the PEMAT-P tool for understandability and actionability were 99% and 100%. Of 62 teaching booklets and patient preparedness questionnaires distributed, N = 11 (17.7%) were returned. Nearly all respondents (90.9%) agreed or strongly agreed for questions related to how well the booklet prepared them for surgery. Likewise, 90.9% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with statements about design and content of the booklet. The hospital consumer assessment of healthcare providers and systems performance reports from October 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016 showed improvement for discharge information (96.2% from 92.2%), symptom to look for (100% from 94.9%), and care transitions (66.2% from 54.3%). Conclusions: The development and implementation of evidence-based preoperative teaching materials help patients and families prepare for open-heart surgery and self-care after discharge. Implications for Nursing: Nurses' utilization of preoperative teaching materials improves patient satisfaction, preparedness, and usefulness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Study Design Descriptive. Background Dupuytren's contracture is a common disorder involving fibrosis of the palmar fascia. As patients are increasingly using online materials to gather health care information, it is imperative to assess the readability and appropriateness of this content. The recommended grade level for patient educational materials is seventh to eighth grade according to the National Institutes of Health. This study aims to assess the readability and content of online patient resources for Dupuytren's contracture. Purpose of the Study Evaluate readability of online patient education materials for Dupuytren's contracture. Methods The largest public search engine, Google, was queried using the term "Dupuytren's contracture surgery" on February 26, 2016. Location filters were disabled, and sponsored results were excluded to avoid any inadvertent search bias. The 10 most popular Web sites were identified, and all relevant patient-directed information within 1 click from the original site was downloaded and saved as plain text. Readability was analyzed using 6 established analyses (Readable.io , Added Bytes, Ltd, UK). Results Analysis of 10 Web sites demonstrates an average grade level of at least 11th grade (Flesch-Kincaid grade level, 10.2; Gunning-Fog grade level, 13.1; Coleman-Liau grade level, 14.4; Simple Measure of Gobbledygook grade level, 10.0; automated readability grade level, 9.7; and average grade level, 11.5). Overall Flesch-Kincaid reading ease index was 46.4, which is difficult. No single article was at the recommended reading level. Conclusions Online materials available for treatment of Dupuytren's contracture are above recommended reading levels and do not include a comprehensive explanation of treatment options, which may negatively impact decision making in patients seeking treatment for this condition. Surgeons and hand therapists alike should be cognizant of available online patient materials and make efforts to develop and provide more appropriate materials. Level of Evidence V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers insights on writing clinical trial summaries in plain language. Topics discussed include the presentation of clinical research through the patients' view, the employment of simple writing and more words to translate medical terms into everyday language, and patient education communication which has a different set of techniques. Also noted are samples of medical jargon and their suggested plain-language translation.

Objectives: This study determined the completeness, accuracy, and reading level of Wikipedia patient drug information compared with the corresponding United States product insert medication guides.Methods: From the Top 200 Drugs of 2012, the top 33 medications with medication guides were analyzed. Medication guides and Wikipedia pages were downloaded on a single date to ensure continuity of Wikipedia content. To quantify the completeness and accuracy of the Wikipedia medication information, a scoring system was adapted from previously published work and compared with the 7 core domains of medication guides.Results: Wikipedia did not provide patient information that was as complete or accurate as the information within the medication guides: 14.73 out of 42 (SD 5.75). Wikipedia medication pages were written at a significantly higher reading level compared with medication guides (Flesch reading ease score 52.93 vs. 33.24 [P <0.001]; Flesch-Kincaid grade level 10.26 vs. 6.86 [P <0.001]).Conclusion: Wikipedia medication pages include incomplete and inaccurate patient information compared with the corresponding product medication guides. Wikipedia patient drug information was also written at reading levels above that of medication guides and substantially above the average United States consumer health literacy level. As the public use of Wikipedia increases, the need for educating patients about the quality of information on Wikipedia and the availability of adequate patient education resources is ever more important to minimize inaccuracies and incomplete information sharing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The ubiquity of the Internet is changing the way people obtain their health information. Although there is an abundance of heart failure information online, the quality and health literacy demand of these information are still unknown. Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the quality and health literacy demand (readability, understandability, and actionability) of the heart failure information found online. Methods: Google, Yahoo, Bing, Ask.com, and DuckDuckGo were searched for relevant heart failure Web sites. Two independent raters then assessed the quality and health literacy demand of the included Web sites. The quality of the heart failure information was assessed using the DISCERN instrument. Readability was assessed using 7 established readability tests. Finally, understandability and actionability were assessed using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Print Materials. Results: A total of 46 Web sites were included in this analysis. The overall mean quality rating was 46.0 ± 8.9 and the mean readability score was 12.6 grade reading level. The overall mean understandability score was 56.3% ± 16.2%. Finally, the overall mean actionability score was 34.7% ± 28.7%. Conclusions: The heart failure information found online was of fair quality but required a relatively high health literacy level. Web content authors need to consider not just the quality but also the health literacy demand of the information found in their Web sites. This is especially important considering that low health literacy is likely prevalent among the usual audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine how well patients could correctly recognize and comprehend the various information items in over-the-counter (OTC) medications package leaflets in Saudi Arabia. Methods: Leaflets from 20 most commonly sold OTC medications were examined by experts to evaluate the leaflet layout, language, and content. The same leaflets were also evaluated by patients who had their medicines dispensed at 2 hospitals and 8 community pharmacies in Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was used for the patients' examination. Results: A total of 479 questionnaires were included in the study. Each package leaflet was examined by at least 20 participants. The results indicate poor comprehensibility, for many items, particularly items regarding "drug interactions" and "contraindications." Conclusion: The participants had some difficulty recognizing and comprehending certain information items in the package leaflets that are supplied with OTC medications in Saudi Arabia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthcare professionals teach patients and families about their health every day. Regulatory and accreditation organizations mandate patient and family education to promote better health outcomes. And recently, financial rewards for healthcare organizations are being tied to patient satisfaction (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems--HCAHPS). A University of Pennsylvania Health System group of staff and patients, devoted to excellence in patient and family education, developed the graphic "R.E.A.C.H. to Teach." The purpose of the graphic is to make evidence-based practice (EBP) for patient and family education "stick" with staff. The group used concepts from the marketing book, Made to Stick, to demonstrate how to develop effective staff and patient and family education. Ideas (education) that survive ( "stick" ) have the following attributes: simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, emotional, and narrative (story). This article demonstrates how to apply these principles and EBP to patient and family education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of an educational intervention on prescription (Rx) label comprehension and functional health literacy (FHL) in older adults. Outcomes were compared between current and redesigned Rx labels. Additional objectives were to examine the correlation between 2 outcome measures and to determine the characterizing variables that are predictors for the outcome measures.Setting: Southern California, January 2013 to March 2015.Practice Description: Older adults (>55 y) taking 2 or more Rx medications daily were recruited at senior and community centers by a trained data collection team.Practice Innovation: The validated Modified LaRue Tool (MLT) tested Rx label comprehension before and after a short, focused educational intervention and correlated it with FHL.Interventions: A simple one-on-one education provided by student pharmacists that was focused on critical elements of an Rx label.Evaluation: Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (STOFHLA) and MLT scores of all current and redesigned label participants at baseline and follow-up.Results: Participants using redesigned Rx labels (n = 90) showed significantly higher MLT scores than with current Rx labels (n = 28) both before (23.0 ± 2.3 vs. 21.0 ± 2.4; P <0.001) and after educational intervention (23.8 ± 1.7 vs. 22.1 ± 3.1; P <0.001). With the use of analysis of covariance, intervention participants using redesigned label (n = 48) showed significant improvement in both MLT (23.1 ± 2.0 to 24.3 ± 1.0; P <0.001) and STOFHLA (29.8 ± 7.5 to 31.5 ± 5.7; P = 0.011) scores, whereas intervention participants using current Rx label (n = 16) did not show significant improvement in either MLT (P = 0.530) or STOFHLA (P = 0.215) scores. Effect size of intervention (redesigned label) was 0.77, indicating practical significance. MLT and STOFHLA scores were significantly correlated with each other, and age and education level were common significant predictors for both outcomes.Conclusion: Older adults using redesigned Rx labels showed improved Rx label comprehension and FHL after educational intervention, as well as higher comprehension compared with those using current Rx labels. Use of a redesigned Rx label and a simple educational intervention should be encouraged to improve Rx label comprehension and FHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is a highly proatherogenic lipid fraction that is a clinically significant risk modifier. Patients wanting to learn more about Lp(a) are likely to use online patient educational materials (OPEMs). However, the readability of OPEMs may exceed the health literacy of the public.Objective: This study aims to assess the readability of OPEMs related to Lp(a). We hypothesized that the readability of these online materials would exceed the sixth grade level recommended by the American Medical Association.Methods: Using an online search engine, we queried the top 20 search results from 10 commonly used Lp(a)-related search terms to identify a total of 200 websites. We excluded duplicate websites, advertised results, research journal articles, or non-patient-directed materials, such as those intended only for health professionals or researchers. Grade level readability was calculated using 5 standard readability metrics (automated readability index, SMOG index, Coleman-Liau index, Gunning Fog score, Flesch-Kincaid score) to produce robust point (mean) and interval (CI) estimates of readability. Generalized estimating equations were used to model grade level readability by each search term, with the 5 readability scores nested within each OPEM.Results: A total of 27 unique websites were identified for analysis. The average readability score for the aggregated results was a 12.2 (95% CI 10.9798-13.3978) grade level. OPEMs were grouped into 6 categories by primary source: industry, lay press, research foundation and nonprofit organizations, university or government, clinic, and other. The most readable category was OPEMs published by universities or government agencies (9.0, 95% CI 6.8-11.3). The least readable OPEMs on average were the ones published by the lay press (13.0, 95% CI 11.2-14.8). All categories exceeded the sixth grade reading level recommended by the American Medical Association.Conclusions: Lack of access to readable OPEMs may disproportionately affect patients with low health literacy. Ensuring that online content is understandable by broad audiences is a necessary component of increasing the impact of novel therapeutics and recommendations regarding Lp(a). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of health literacy is predicated on being able to read and understand health information and instructions given during the patient-provider encounter. Older adults with low vision face barriers to attaining health literacy because they have difficulty reading and interacting with health providers. Health care professionals can facilitate health literacy by understanding how vision impairment potentially limits health literacy in older adults. The article describes simple strategies both to increase the visibility and readability of printed health information and to improve the quality of the encounter between the health care provider and the patient, using suggestions from persons with vision impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study evaluated the use, quality and readability levels of occupational therapists' pre-discharge home visit information leaflets. Method: One hundred and twelve surveys were sent via email to occupational therapists working with older people. The International Patient Decision Aids Standards and the SMOG Readability Formula were used to analyse five occupational therapy home visit leaflets, supplied by the 11 occupational therapists who responded to the survey. Results: The five leaflets had low scores in relation to providing unbiased and detailed information. In addition, the reading level of the information leaflets was, on average, four grades higher than the recommended level. Conclusion: Therapists need to ensure that the information within home visit leaflets is relevant, evidence based, and targeted at the correct readability level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the suitability and readability of printed educational materials for patients with hypertension in Korea. Methods: A total of 33 written educational materials related to hypertension were collected from public health centers, hospitals, and internet web site. Among them, we analyzed 19 materials which fit the inclusion criteria: leaflets (n=9), booklets (n=3), and guide book (n=7). Two trained nurses evaluate the materials using suitability assessment tool (SAM; Doak, Doak, & Root, 1996) and graded lexical items for teaching Korean (Kim, 2003). Results: Overall, 14 (73.7%) of 19 materials scored adequate, and 5 (26.3%) scored inadequate. On the average, the education materials contained 36.1% to 50.5% of 1st grade reading level words and 12.9% to 21.6% of 4th grade level and over. Conclusion: The reading level of the materials was higher than a 6th grade reading level. It is proposed that the written educational materials should be developed by health professionals according to suitability and quality by taking the target group's literacy capacity into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Introduction: Vocabulary and writing style have been shown to affect the readability of patient-education materials. Readability is generally defined as the ease of understanding or comprehension because of the style of writing. Microsoft Word software (Microsoft Corporation, Bellevue, WA) can quantify and report readability statistics, providing both the Flesch Reading Ease score and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score of selected documents. Methods: This study evaluated the readability of 22 endodontic patient education web sites and 15 endodontic patient education brochures. The web sites and brochures were arbitrarily selected based on availability, reputation of the source, and relevance to endodontic patients. Results: The Flesch Reading Ease score and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score were determined for the 37 selected materials. The Flesch Reading Ease scores varied between 44.4 and 76.6, and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level scores ranged between 4.5 and 10.6. Conclusions: These findings remind practitioners that some patients may have difficulty reading some endodontic educational materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Date Presented Accepted for AOTA INSPIRE 2021 but unable to be presented due to online event limitations. This study examined readability (grade level) and suitability (appropriateness) of 100 online patient education materials (PEMs) designed for older adults with age-related macular degeneration. Six PEMs met the recommended readability level (sixth grade) and suitability score (70%). Current guidelines do not consider how age and vision loss create barriers to health literacy. This proposal is needed to inform future research and guide selection of PEMs to meet the needs of this population. Primary Author and Speaker: Jennifer Fortuna Contributing Authors: Anne Riddering, Cassie Lopez-Jeng, Linda Shuster [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Date Presented 4/20/2018 Vulnerable populations are at risk for low health literacy and are more susceptible to poor health outcomes. Findings indicate that occupational therapy patient education materials aimed at these populations were difficult to read and understand. The profession should lead efforts to provide quality education materials. Primary Author and Speaker: Mary Dumas Additional Authors and Speakers: Vanessa Carmody, Johanna Black, Michael Blake [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Content Validity of the Patient-Report Hamilton Inventory for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome," by Tara L. Packham and Joy MacDermid is presented.