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Online Kidney Stone Educational Materials Do Not Meet Recommended Readability Standards.
Andrew M Bergersen1, Ismail Khan2, Ava C Wong1
1Department of Urology, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona.
Urology Practice
|May 5, 2023
Summary
Online information about kidney stones is often too difficult for patients to understand. Most popular websites exceed recommended reading levels, hindering health literacy for this growing condition.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Health Literacy
- Medical Informatics
Background:
- Kidney stone prevalence is increasing globally.
- Patients require accessible, reliable health information.
- Online resources may impact patient understanding of kidney health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the readability of popular online kidney stone resources.
- To assess if online materials hinder patient health literacy.
- To identify areas for improvement in patient education materials.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed top 10 Google search results for "kidney stones."
- Assessed website quality using HONcode certification.
- Measured readability with 6 standard assessment tools.
- Focused analysis on treatment and prevention sections.
Main Results:
- All 10 websites exceeded recommended sixth-grade reading levels.
- Readability grade levels ranged from 7 to 13.9.
- Treatment and prevention sections often required a tenth-grade reading level or higher.
Conclusions:
- Widely accessed kidney stone websites are not easily understood by the general public.
- Current online information may not meet recommended readability standards.
- Simplifying content is crucial for improving patient comprehension of kidney stone management.
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