Merritt S L, Gates M A, Skiba K
University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Nursing 60612.
Heart Lung. 1993 Sep-Oct;22(5):415-20.
To assess the readability of selected hypercholesterolemia print materials, summarize the limitations of readability formulas, describe how expert judgement can be used to enhance readability determinations of printed materials, and discuss indirect and direct methods for assessing patient literacy levels.
Descriptive, retrospective, convenience sample
Readability of four AHA/NLHBI hypercholesterolemia patient education pamphlets by use of three readability formulas and the Reading Materials Checklist.
The FOG, Fry, and SMOG formulas were used to calculate reading levels by two raters who independently applied the formulas to the same word passages chosen from the beginning, middle, and end of the pamphlets. The mean reading grade levels were 14.4, 15.8, 14, and 14.4, demonstrating that all four pamphlets were written for people with college level reading skills. The limitations of readability formulas such as variations in reading estimates were demonstrated. When expert judgement was applied with the Reading Materials Checklist, all pamphlets were found lacking in the areas of legibility, usability, and motivational appeal.
The results indicate that the pamphlets may not be appropriate for use with most of the adults in the United States who may be candidates for hypercholesterolemia patient education. Because reading formulas are limited in the information they provide, expert judgement regarding readability of print materials should also be applied. Additionally, indirect and direct techniques need to be used to assess the literacy level of the patient population who will be using the printed materials.
评估所选高胆固醇血症印刷材料的可读性，总结可读性公式的局限性，描述如何运用专家判断来提高印刷材料可读性的判定，并讨论评估患者识字水平的间接和直接方法。
描述性、回顾性、便利抽样
使用三种可读性公式和《阅读材料清单》评估美国心脏协会/美国国立心肺血液研究所的四份高胆固醇血症患者教育手册的可读性。
两名评分者使用FOG、Fry和SMOG公式计算阅读水平，他们将这些公式独立应用于从小册子开头、中间和结尾选取的相同文字段落。平均阅读年级水平分别为14.4、15.8、14和14.4，表明所有四份手册都是为具有大学阅读技能的人编写的。展示了可读性公式的局限性，如阅读估计值的差异。当结合《阅读材料清单》运用专家判断时，发现所有手册在易读性、可用性和激励吸引力方面均有欠缺。
结果表明，这些手册可能不适用于美国大多数可能成为高胆固醇血症患者教育对象的成年人。由于阅读公式所提供的信息有限，还应运用关于印刷材料可读性的专家判断。此外，需要使用间接和直接技术来评估将要使用这些印刷材料的患者群体的识字水平。
