Department of Ophthalmology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Rush University Medical College, Chicago, IL.
J Glaucoma. 2022 Jun 1;31(6):438-442. doi: 10.1097/IJG.0000000000002012. Epub 2022 Mar 11.
We assessed the readability of online glaucoma patient education materials using seven validated instruments. Overall, glaucoma materials were written at a 10th to 11th grade level, above the recommended seventh grade reading level.
Online health information is increasingly used by patients, yet previous studies show online patient education materials are often difficult to understand. As such, the American Medical Association recommends that patient education materials are written at or below a seventh grade reading level. This study aimed to assess the readability of online glaucoma patient education materials.
Glaucoma was entered into the Google search engine, and the first 30 search results were assessed for readability using seven validated readability instruments. Scientific articles, forums, and dictionary entries were excluded. Single sample t tests were used to assess whether online glaucoma materials were written above the recommended seventh grade level.
Overall, glaucoma materials were written at a mean grade level of 10.33 (SD: 2.02). Across 6 grade level readability instruments, these patient education materials were written above the recommended seventh grade reading level (P<0.0001 for all). Glaucoma education materials only on the first page of Google search results were of a similar reading level: mean 10.56 (SD: 2.13). The readability instruments used in this study showed strong consistency.
Glaucoma patient education materials are written above the recommended reading level to promote accessibility of education materials. This may contribute to lower patient engagement, worse clinical outcomes, and greater racial and ethnic disparities in glaucoma management. There is a need for reliable, simple glaucoma information to improve patient outcomes.
我们使用七种经过验证的工具评估了在线青光眼患者教育材料的可读性。总体而言，青光眼材料的写作水平在 10 到 11 年级，高于推荐的 7 年级阅读水平。
在线健康信息越来越被患者使用，但之前的研究表明，在线患者教育材料往往难以理解。因此，美国医学协会建议患者教育材料的写作水平应在 7 年级或以下。本研究旨在评估在线青光眼患者教育材料的可读性。
在 Google 搜索引擎中输入“青光眼”，并使用七种经过验证的可读性工具评估前 30 个搜索结果的可读性。排除科学文章、论坛和字典条目。使用单样本 t 检验来评估在线青光眼材料是否高于推荐的 7 年级阅读水平。
总体而言，青光眼材料的平均写作水平为 10.33（标准差：2.02）。在 6 种阅读水平可读性工具中，这些患者教育材料的写作水平均高于推荐的 7 年级阅读水平（所有 P<0.0001）。仅在 Google 搜索结果第一页上的青光眼教育材料的阅读水平相似：平均为 10.56（标准差：2.13）。本研究中使用的可读性工具显示出很强的一致性。
青光眼患者教育材料的写作水平高于推荐的阅读水平，以促进教育材料的可访问性。这可能导致患者参与度降低、临床结果更差，以及在青光眼管理方面的种族和民族差异更大。需要可靠、简单的青光眼信息来改善患者的结果。
