Evaluation of the Readability of Informed Consent Forms Used for Emergency Procedures

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to evaluate the readability levels of informed consent forms used for patient consent before emergency procedures applied in emergency service in Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Medical Faculty Emergency Service Clinic through readability formula. METHOD: Fifteen informed patient consent forms used for emergency medical applications in Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Medical Faculty Emergency Medicine Department were evaluated. Information text available on the forms was transferred into Microsoft Word program. Average word number, syllable number and words with syllable number of four and above were calculated. Atesman and Bezirci-Yilmaz formulas defined for determining the readability level of Turkish texts and Gunning fog, Flesch kincaid formulas measuring the general readability level were used for calculating the readability level of consent forms. RESULTS: Readability levels of all consent forms were detected at average difficulty level according to Atesman formula, very difficult according to Flesch-Kincaid formula, difficult according to Gunning fog formula and at high school level according to Bezirci-Yilmaz. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the readability level of emergency intervention consent forms used in the clinic was detected as hard and required high school or higher education level. The conclusion is that attention should be paid to this subject which is both medically and legally binding for the doctors and verbal and visual support should be provided for informing the patients in addition to consent forms.