Development of a Co-Designed Patient Handout for Adults With Hallux Valgus

Patient education handouts are used to enhance patient knowledge and support decision making, although many handouts do not meet recommended readability benchmarks. For people with hallux valgus, there is a dearth of co-designed, credible, evidence-based and readable resources to enhance health literacy. The aim of this study was to co-design an evidence-based, clinically accurate handout for hallux valgus targeting a readability level of grade seven or below.

Between October 2023 and August 2024, a descriptive qualitative design was used across two stages. Stage 1 involved focus groups with six health professionals and two individuals with hallux valgus to inform content development. Stage 2 presented a prototype to five health professionals and 10 individuals with hallux valgus for feedback on clarity, completeness and accuracy. Readability was assessed using Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level tools.

The handout included information about the characteristics of hallux valgus and a balance between non-surgical and surgical approaches, with transparency about limited evidence for some treatments. Participants emphasised the need for clarity, relevance, and accessibility and reinforced that treatment decisions, especially surgery, are often not urgent and can evolve over time. The handout is a starting point for discussion and not a standalone resource. The final version meets the readability standards for ages 9-10 years. The readability was further enhanced with the use of visuals and adherence to accessibility guidelines.

A co-designed, evidence-based handout was produced that meets recommended readability and accessibility standards for consumer health information.