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Are end-of-life patient education materials readable?
1Department of Family Medicine, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, Knoxville, Tennessee 37920, USA. kevinache@yahoo.com
Palliative Medicine
|May 23, 2009
Summary
Many end-of-life patient education materials are difficult to read, with an average reading level of 11th grade. Improving layout and simplifying language are crucial for informed end-of-life care decisions.
Area of Science:
- Health Communication
- Patient Education
- Palliative Care
Background:
- Established guidelines exist for low-literacy patient education materials, yet poorly designed resources persist.
- Effective end-of-life (EOL) care decisions require accessible patient education materials.
- Patients and families are responsible for EOL decisions, necessitating clear information.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the readability and layout of English-language EOL patient education materials found online.
- To identify areas for improvement in current patient education resources for EOL care.
Main Methods:
- Searched websites of five national palliative care organizations for EOL patient education materials.
- Downloaded and analyzed a sample of 75 patient education materials.
- Assessed readability using the Simplified Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) and layout using the User-Friendliness Tool (UFT).
Main Results:
- Reading grade level ranged from 7th to 12th grade, with a mean of 11.1.
- No materials scored high on all User-Friendliness Tool criteria.
- Significant need for more white space and improved visual organization was identified.
Conclusions:
- Current EOL patient education materials often exceed average adult reading levels.
- Revisions focusing on readability and visual design are essential.
- Improved materials can enhance informed decision-making for EOL care.
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