Assessing readability of patient information materials

Area of Science:

• Health Communication
• Patient Education
• Medical Writing

Background:

• Effective patient drug information is essential for adherence and safety.
• Assessing the readability of patient-facing materials is a key component of health literacy initiatives.
• Existing methods for evaluating text complexity vary in their application and scope.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe four distinct readability tests for patient drug information.
• To provide instructions for the practical application of these readability assessment tools.
• To evaluate the readability levels of existing patient drug information materials.

Main Methods:

• Method 1: Analysis based on word and sentence lengths (Flesch, Fog, Fry formulas).
• Method 2: Word elimination from a standard list (Spache system).
• Application of the Flesch formula to 111 patient-oriented drug information brochures and pamphlets.

Main Results:

• The Flesch and Fog formulas assess readability from approximately 4th-5th grade to college level.
• The Fry readability graph estimates levels from 1st grade to college.
• The Spache system is designed for materials aimed at 1st-3rd grade reading levels.
• Using the Flesch formula, 50% of assessed patient drug information exceeded an eighth-grade reading level.

Conclusions:

• Readability tests offer accessible methods for evaluating patient drug information.
• A significant portion of patient drug information is written above the recommended reading level.
• Ensuring patient drug information matches reader comprehension is vital for effective healthcare communication.