Abstract
BackgroundIncreasing numbers of patients and carers rely on online resources for healthcare information. Radiation safety can be misunderstood by patients and clinicians and lead to patient anxiety. We aimed to assess the readability of online patient educational materials (PEMs) related to radiation safety.MethodsA total of 84 articles pertaining to radiation safety from 14 well-known online resources were identified. PEMs were then analysed using Readability Studio Professional Edition Version 2019. Readability was assessed using eight different instruments: the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level, Raygor Estimate, SMOG, Coleman–Liau, Fry, FORCAST, Gunning Fog, and Flesch Reading Ease Score formula. The mean reading grade level (RGL) of each article was compared to the 6th and 8th grade reading level using 1-sample t-tests.ResultsThe cumulative mean RGL for all 84 articles was 13.3 (range = 8.6–17.4), and none were written at or below the 6th or 8th grade level. The cumulative mean RGL exceeded the 6th grade reading level by an average of 7.3 levels (95% CI, 6.8–7.8; p < 0.001) and the 8th grade level by an average of 5.3 grade levels (95% CI, 4.8–5.8; p < 0.001). The mean Flesch Reading Ease Score was 39/100 (‘difficult’).ConclusionCurrently available online PEMs related to radiation safety are still written at higher than recommended reading levels. Radiation safety is a topic in which the specialist training of radiologists is crucial in providing guidance to patients. Addressing the readability of online PEMs can improve radiology-patient communication and support the shift to a patient-centred model of practice.
Highlights
Increasing numbers of patients and carers rely on online resources for healthcare information
The cumulative mean reading grade level (RGL) of the articles exceeded the 6th grade level by an average of 7.3 grade levels and the 8th grade level by an average of 5.3 grade levels
This study demonstrates that the readability of online Patient education material (PEM) related to radiation safety is still written at much higher than recommended reading levels
Summary
Increasing numbers of patients and carers rely on online resources for healthcare information. We aimed to assess the readability of online patient educational materials (PEMs) related to radiation safety. Widespread internet access has transformed how people obtain medical information. There is substantial demand for online information related to radiology with an online patient resource RadiologyInfo.org averaging nearly 1 million monthly visits [4]. Half of those who access healthcare information online report that it influences their decision making [5]. Medical information obtained through standard internet searches can be misleading for patients [6]
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