Web-based patient educational material on chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy: Quantitative assessment of readability.

Abstract

11040 Background: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is another paradigm-shifting advancement for hematologic malignancies, creating unprecedented treatment options. However, there is still a lack of knowledge and understanding among patients regarding this novel therapy. Most patients turn to online resources, ranging from social media to federal websites, to gather health information to supplement decision-making. Given that the average American adult reads between the sixth- and eighth-grade levels, national organizations recommend that patient resources be written at the sixth-grade level or below. The purpose of this study was to evaluate web-based patient educational material on CAR -T cell therapy resources using measures of readability and compare it to national guidelines. Methods: Online patient information on CAR-T cell therapy from the top 20 U.S Cancer center as per US news ranking was collected. We analyzed the content by six of the most common readability tests- Flesch Reading Ease score (FRE), Gunning Fog (GF), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Coleman-Liau Index (CLI), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) Index, and the Automated Readability Index (ARI). The text from each article was carefully reviewed and analyzed using the software Readable, and the readability scores with standard deviation (SD) were obtained. Results: The mean score FRE score was 48.5 (SD: 6.7), which corresponds to college level and is difficult to read. The mean GF score was 8.7(SD: 1.5), which represents the writing of an 8th grader. The FKGL score was 8.6 (SD: 1.1), which represents a level of 8th grade or above. The mean CLI score was 11.5(SD: 1.3), which is the text level for high school juniors. The mean SMOG index was 10.9 (SD: 1), which is the level of a 12th grader. The ARI score was 7.8 (SD: 1.3), indicating a 7th-grade level. Conclusions: Overall, web-based CAR- T cell therapy patient educational materials scored poorly and does not meet the national recommendations. Authors of patient resources should incorporate readability criteria and prompt a revision or creation of new educational materials including videos and audio to support general patient understanding. By making CAR-T therapy information easily understandable, internet users can be better informed about their treatment decisions.