Pre-admission booklets for patients awaiting surgery.

The aim of this study was to analyse the pre-admission booklets currently being sent to patients awaiting admission for surgery. Content analysis of the booklets reveals that many districts fail to include the types of information shown in the literature to be of most relevance and benefit to patients. An objective assessment of readability indicates that over half the booklets are fairly difficult or difficult to read. The study highlights the need to revise the information content and readability of many of the pre-admission booklets currently being dispatched to prospective patients.