Bridging the Language Gap: Readability and Quality of English- and Spanish-Language Online Uterine Artery...

To assess whether the readability and quality of Spanish- and English-language online uterine artery embolization (UAE) patient education resources significantly exceed the recommended sixth-grade reading level and examine potential disparities in readability and quality between the 2 languages to inform efforts to mitigate disparities in fibroid care utilization.

The first 100 Google search results for Spanish and English search terms for UAE were collected, and website content was extracted. Content readability scores were calculated using 3 validated metrics for Spanish and 6 for English. Credibility was measured using Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) criteria. Website technical quality was assessed using WooRank, a website performance algorithm. Mann-Whitney U testing was used for comparisons of readability. Differences in content length, credibility, and technical quality were interpreted using descriptive statistics.

Sixty-seven Spanish-language and 53 English-language websites were included in the analysis. The readability of Spanish-language sites ranged from 9th to 10th grade level on 2 scales and was categorized as "slightly difficult" by all readability scales by a Spanish-speaking researcher. The mean readability for English-language content ranged from the 11th grade to college level on all readability scales. Adherence to JAMA benchmark criteria was poor, with a mean score of 1.10 and 1.23 on a 4-point scale for Spanish and English websites, respectively. The mean WooRank scores for Spanish and English sites were 53.99 and 61.7, respectively, indicating moderate performance.

Spanish- and English-language UAE online patient education information is limited in quality and written above the recommended sixth-grade level.