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Readability, complexity, and suitability analysis of online lymphedema resources
Bao Ngoc N Tran1, Mansher Singh1, Bernard T Lee1
1Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
The Journal of Surgical Research
|June 12, 2017
Summary
Online lymphedema information is too complex for most Americans. Readability, data complexity, and suitability scores indicate materials are above recommended levels, hindering patient understanding.
Area of Science:
- Health Communication
- Medical Informatics
- Patient Education
Background:
- Over 72% of Americans utilize online health information for decision-making.
- Previous studies on lymphedema literature focused solely on readability, finding materials too advanced.
- This study offers a comprehensive analysis, evaluating complexity, data density, text design, vocabulary, and organization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the readability, complexity, and suitability of online lymphedema information.
- To determine if patient-oriented online health materials meet recommended standards for comprehension.
- To identify areas for improvement in online health content for lymphedema patients.
Main Methods:
- Identified top 10 highest-ranked lymphedema websites via Google search.
- Analyzed website content for readability (SMOG), complexity (PMOSE/iKIRSCH), and suitability (SAM).
- Ensured inter-rater reliability for PMOSE/iKIRSCH and SAM assessments using Fleiss' kappa score.
Main Results:
- Online lymphedema literature exhibited a reading grade level of 14.0 (SMOG).
- Complexity scores indicated "low" complexity (6.7/PMOSE/iKIRSCH), requiring an 8th-12th grade education.
- Suitability scores averaged "adequate" (45%/SAM), with substantial inter-rater agreement for both complexity and suitability.
Conclusions:
- Online lymphedema resources exceed recommended readability and complexity levels.
- The suitability of current online lymphedema materials is only "adequate" for the target audience.
- Materials are generally too sophisticated for the average American adult, necessitating revisions for better patient comprehension.
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