Hoffmann Tammy, McKenna Kryss
Division of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
Patient Educ Couns. 2006 Mar;60(3):286-93. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2005.06.020. Epub 2005 Aug 10.
This study (a) evaluated the reading ability of patients following stroke and their carers and the reading level and content and design characteristics of the written information provided to them, (b) explored the influence of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics on patients' reading ability, and (c) described an education package that provides well-designed information tailored to patients' and carers' informational needs.
Fifty-seven patients and 12 carers were interviewed about their informational needs in an acute stroke unit. Their reading ability was assessed using the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM). The written information provided to them in the acute stroke unit was analysed using the SMOG readability formula and the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM).
Thirteen (22.8%) patients and 5 (41.7%) carers had received written stroke information. The mean reading level of materials analysed was 11th grade while patients read at a mean of 7-8th grade. Most materials (89%) scored as only adequate in content and design. Patients with combined aphasia read significantly lower (4-6th grade) than other patients (p=0.001).
Only a small proportion of patients and carers received written materials about stroke and the readability level and content and design characteristics of most materials required improvement.
When developing and distributing written materials about stroke, health professionals should consider the reading ability and informational needs of the recipients, and the reading level and content and design characteristics of the written materials. A computer system can be used to generate written materials tailored to the informational needs and literacy skills of patients and carers.
本研究（a）评估中风患者及其照料者的阅读能力，以及提供给他们的书面信息的阅读水平、内容和设计特点；（b）探讨社会人口学和临床特征对患者阅读能力的影响；（c）描述一个教育包，该教育包能提供根据患者及其照料者的信息需求精心设计的信息。
在急性中风单元对57名患者和12名照料者进行了关于其信息需求的访谈。使用医学成人识字率快速评估法（REALM）评估他们的阅读能力。使用烟雾可读性公式（SMOG）和材料适用性评估法（SAM）对急性中风单元提供给他们的书面信息进行分析。
13名（22.8%）患者和5名（41.7%）照料者收到了中风书面信息。所分析材料的平均阅读水平为11年级，而患者的平均阅读水平为7 - 8年级。大多数材料（89%）在内容和设计方面仅被评为合格。合并失语症的患者阅读水平显著低于其他患者（4 - 6年级）（p = 0.001）。
只有一小部分患者和照料者收到了关于中风的书面材料，大多数材料的可读性水平、内容和设计特点需要改进。
在编写和分发关于中风的书面材料时，卫生专业人员应考虑接收者的阅读能力和信息需求，以及书面材料的阅读水平、内容和设计特点。可以使用计算机系统生成根据患者及其照料者的信息需求和识字技能量身定制的书面材料。
