6th Grade Level Research Articles

Readability and understandability of instruments for collecting patient-generated data (PGD).

e18534 Background: PGD are crucial to inform and optimize cancer care. These may include patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs), patient-reported experience measures (PREMS), or patient preferences information (PPI). The increasing use of PGD has led to the need for the adaptation of instruments to different languages and cultures. Recent data has brought attention to the additional need to consider patients’ ability to understand written information included in PROMs. Low health literacy is associated with higher risk for quality-of-life deterioration and generates disparities, including underrepresentation in cancer research. Aiming at improving equity and representation, we evaluated readability and understandability of nine French-language PROMs that are currently used in a contemporary cohort of breast cancer survivors. Methods: Readability of PROMs was assessed using the Flesh Reading Ease Score (FRES), the Gunning’s Fog Index (FOG), and the FRY graphics (yielding a mean score representing the n. of school years required to understand the respective text). Readability was considered ideal if mean score ≤6th grade level and acceptable if between 6-8th grade. Understandability was evaluated using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT, range 0-100%, higher scores corresponding to easier understandability) and defined as ideal if PEMAT ≥ 80%. Plain-language best practice was met if both readability and understandability were ideal. The Evaluative Linguistic Framework for Questionnaires (ELF-Q) provided additional qualitative elements to assess understandability. Two native French speakers, including a patient representative, independently evaluated each PROM. An additional independent assessment was requested if discordance. Results: None of the 9 PROMs evaluated had ideal readability scores, and only 1 had an acceptable score. Understandability ranged from 55-91%, and only 3 PROMs had ideal scores. None of the instruments met the definition of plain-language best practice. ELF-Q identified points for improvement in several dimensions of the PROMs (Table). Conclusions: The use of comprehensive linguistic and cultural frameworks during the development and translation of self-reported PGD instruments may improve experience and engagement of patients with lower literacy and foster equity and representation in cancer cohort studies. [Table: see text]

Assessment of readability and quality of patient education materials specific to nocturnal enuresis

Bedwetting, or nocturnal enuresis (NE), is a common childhood disease. Families increasingly turn to free online resources for health education in order to navigate treatment options. We aim to determine the readability and quality of online health information that families may encounter when searching for information on pediatric NE. The search term 'bedwetting' was queried in commonly used search engines. Included articles were further categorized as institutional/reference, commercial, non-profit/charitable, or personal. An online readability platform calculated 3 commonly used readability assessments as well as a consensus score. Quality was assessed by two independent pediatric urologists using a validated DISCERN instrument. Differences in readability were further assessed by article category type. 36 websites were reviewed, 3 did not include treatment options and were not included in quality assessment. 55.6% of the articles were categorized as institutional/reference, 27.8% as non-profit/charitable, 11.1% as personal, and 5.6% as commercial. The average, standard deviation, and range of readability level were as follows: overall consensus score=9.56±2.09, FK Grade Level Formula score=9.38±2.17 (range 5.8-14.1), SMOG Index score=8.89±1.79 (range 6.4-12.9), and the GF Index score=11.86±2.34 (range 8.4-16.9). The overall consensus score, 9.56, correlates to a 9th-grade reading level. 16 articles were considered to be of 'good' quality, 12 of 'fair' quality, and 5 of 'poor' quality; according to the DISCERN scoring. There was no statistically significant difference in readability scores across website categories. Two articles included the outdated treatment option of intranasal DDAVP. These findings are concordant with the increasing body of literature demonstrating that patient education materials are too difficult to read. Pediatric urologists should be aware of the readability and quality of available online content for common clinical presentations. They can ensure that institutional articles online are useful to patients by participating in the development and design of these materials. We demonstrated that online articles that families encounter via a search engine query for bedwetting are written at a higher level than recommended and the majority are of 'fair' quality. There is much room for improvement for institutions to provide high quality, readable content that supports the needs of families seeking information on NE.

Readability of iPledge materials for isotretinoin education in English and Spanish.

iPledge is a program meant to reduce the incidence of pregnancy in patients using isotretinoin, a teratogenic acne medication. Adherence to the iPledge program is essential in preventing pregnancy complications among isotretinoin users. We present an analysis of the readability of both English and Spanish patient education materials published by iPledge. Readability grade levels for twelve iPledge documents were compared using both Lexile and graph-based methods (English: Fry; Spanish: Gilliam-Peña-Mountain). In both English and Spanish, aggregate Lexile grade levels are written below the 6th grade level; however, approximately one-third of pages are written above the 6th grade level. Aggregate graph-based grade levels are written above the 6th grade level as well. This suggests that iPledge materials should be rewritten at a lower grade level. Doing so may allow more patients to understand and utilize the important information presented in iPledge.

Google Trends™ and Quality of Information Analyses of Google™ Searches Pertaining to Concussion.

Sports-related concussions occur with high incidence in the United States. Google Trends™ (GT) analyses indicate changes of public interest in a topic over time, and can be correlated with incidence of health events such as concussion. Internet searches represent a primary means of patient education for many health topics, including concussion; however, the quality of medical information yielded by internet searches is variable and frequently of an inappropriate reading level. This study therefore aims to describe GT over time and evaluate the quality and readability of information produced by Google™ searches of the term "concussion." We identified a strong negative correlation from 2009 to 2016 between GT scores and total number of American high school football participants (R 2 = 0.8553) and participants per school (R 2 = 0.9533). Between 2004 and 2020, the monthly GT popularity score were variable (p = 3.193E-08), with September having the greatest scores, correlating with the height of American tackle football season. Applying five validated quality assessment scoring systems at two time points, it was confirmed that different sources yielded varying quality of information. Academic and non-profit healthcare sources demonstrated the highest quality metrics across two time points. There was significant variability of scores among the different scoring systems, however. The majority of searches at both time points yielded information that was rated as "fair" to "poor" in quality. Applying six readability tests, we revealed that only a single commercial website offered information written at or below the American Medical Association- recommended 6th-grade level for healthcare information. In summary, GT data analyses suggest that searches correlate with the American tackle football season and increased between 2009 and 2016, given that public interest in concussion increased and annual participation in football decreased. The quality of information yielded by Google™ searches and readability are inadequate, indicating the need for significant improvement.

Health literacy awareness among Canadian surgeons

Adequate health literacy is essential to navigate the healthcare system and has a major role in peri-operative care and outcomes. Minimal information exists regarding surgeons’ understanding of health literacy, clinical implications, and awareness of universal measures of support. This study assessed Canadian surgeons’ perceptions of patients’ health literacy and their knowledge of available supportive resources. We conducted a cross-sectional study using an electronic survey distributed to surgeons at academic institutions. Data collected included sociodemographics, health literacy knowledge, and practice surrounding the use of supportive measures. Across four Canadian academic institutions (University of Toronto, McMaster University, University of Alberta, and University of Calgary), 35 surgeons from various surgical specialties, including general, plastic, and orthopedic surgery, completed the survey. Approximately 74% of surgeons reported familiarity with the concept “health literacy”, but they used general impressions to estimate their patients’ health literacy levels. Surgeons’ perceptions were that patients who had proficient health literacy represented 50% or less of their practice. However, knowledge of supportive tools for measuring patient health literacy was variable. Surgeons familiar with health literacy spent significantly more time (>15 minutes) counselling patients (38%, p=0.02) and used language at a 10th grade level or less (92%, p=0.04). Common supportive measures included using simple, non-medical terms (97%, n=34), repetition (83%, n=29), and drawing pictures/diagrams (83%, n=29). This study highlights the importance of surgeon awareness of health literacy and how improved awareness may guide patient-surgeon interactions and improve the quality of care.

Investigation of students’ cognitive structures concerning the topic of physical and chemical changes: a cross-level study

The topic of physical and chemical changes is one of the basic and essential issues of both the lower-secondary school science curriculum and the upper-secondary school chemistry curriculum in many countries. The focus of the present study is to investigate the students' cognitive structures on the topic of physical and chemical changes at different grade levels and to compare how the aspects of students' cognitive structures differ at 8th, 9th, and 10th-grade levels. The data were collected from a total of 388 students (126 8th-graders, 129 9th-graders, and 133 10th-graders) through using a word association test (WAT) which contains eight stimulus words. Both the relatedness coefficient (RC) method and the response frequency mapping method were used in the analysis of the data and mapping of the group cognitive structures of the students. The variables related to the concepts or ideas contained, the connections between the concepts, and the information processing skills, which are the three main aspects in defining the cognitive structures, are compared according to the grade level. It has been concluded that the cognitive structure of the 9th-grade students is the most comprehensive, and integrated, and has a higher information retrieval rate. On the other hand, when the data obtained from both the RC values and the response frequency mappings were examined, it was found that there were also several similarities in the cognitive structures of the three grade levels. For instance, the relationship level of the stimulus word 'energy' with other stimulus words is very weak at all grade levels.

Analysis of Secondary School Mathematics Textbooks in Terms of Estimation Skills

Bu araştırmanın amacı ortaokul matematik ders kitaplarında yer verilen tahmin beceri türlerini belirlemek, öğrenme alanlarına ve ders kitabındaki bölümlere göre dağılımını incelemektir. Araştırmada, 2020-2021 eğitim öğretim yılı içerisinde devlet ortaokullarında derslerde kullanılan, özel yayınevleri basımlı ve Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı onaylı matematik ders kitaplarından her sınıf seviyesi için birer adet örnek kitap olmak üzere dört kitap incelenmiştir. Araştırmada nitel araştırma desenlerinden doküman incelemesi kullanılmıştır. Bulgularda ders kitaplarında tahmine yer verilen içeriklerin 5. ve 6.sınıf seviyelerinde, 7. ve 8. sınıf seviyelerine göre daha yoğun olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Her sınıf seviyesinde en çok kullanılan tahmin türü işlemsel tahmin iken yığın tahminine sınırlı sayıda içerikte yer verildiği görülmüştür. Sayılar ve işlemler öğrenme alanı tüm sınıf seviyelerinde tahmin becerisi içeren tek öğrenme alanı olarak belirlenmiştir. Ders kitaplarında tahmin ile ilgili içeriklerin genel olarak alıştırmalar ve çözümlü örnekler gibi bölümlerde yoğun olduğu görülür iken etkinlik bölümlerinde çok az içerik olduğu hatta 7. sınıf ders kitabında hiç yer verilmediği görülmüştür. Özel yayınevlerinin hazırladığı ders kitaplarının incelenmesi ile ulaşılan sonuçlara göre ders kitaplarında yer verilen tahmin ile ilgili içeriklerin yeterli sayıda olmadığı görülmüştür. Bu araştırmaya MEB yayınevlerinin hazırladığı ders kitapları da eklenerek araştırmanın kapsamı genişletilebilir, ortaokul seviyesinde yapılan çalışma ilkokul ve lise seviyelerinde de yapılabilir. Ders kitaplarının tahmin becerisi bakımından nasıl bir gelişim gösterdiğini görmek açısından geçmiş yıllardaki ders kitaplarının incelenmesi araştırmacılara önerilmektedir.

Readability of Cochlear Implant Brochures: A Potential Factor in Parent Decision Making.

The purpose of this study was to examine the ease of reading cochlear implant (CI) brochures provided to parents and caregivers who are making informed decisions about the management of their child's hearing loss. CI brochures from three Food and Drug Administration-approved CI manufacturers were examined: Advanced Bionics, Cochlear Americas, and MED-EL. Reading grade levels and ease of reading were analyzed using a commercially available computer software program, applying six readability formulas commonly used to examine hearing-related patient education materials (PEMs). The readability of the CI brochures exceeds the fifth- to sixth-grade reading-level guidelines. The CI brochures may be difficult for the average English-speaking adult to read with ease and requires at least a 10th-grade comparable reading level. Despite health literacy initiatives, audiology-focused PEMs continue to be created without full consideration of the burden for the reader. Authors of PEMs should consider the average reading level of the reader as a variable potentially influencing the decision-making process. Likewise, clinicians should consider the average reading level needed to understand PEMs when presenting information and resources to parents and caregivers for informed and shared decision making.

Can Patients Read, Understand, and Act on Online Resources for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery?

Background:Patients undergoing elective procedures often utilize online educational materials to familiarize themselves with the surgical procedure and expected postoperative recovery. While the Internet is easily accessible and ubiquitous today, the ability of patients to read, understand, and act on these materials is unknown.Purpose:To evaluate online resources about anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery utilizing measures of readability, understandability, and actionability.Study Design:Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 4.Methods:Using the term “ACL surgery,” 2 independent searches were performed utilizing a public search engine (Google.com). Patient education materials were identified from the top 50 results. Audiovisual materials, news articles, materials intended for advertising or medical professionals, and materials unrelated to ACL surgery were excluded. Readability was quantified using the Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, Coleman-Liau Index, Automated Readability Index, and Gunning Fog Index. The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Printable Materials (PEMAT-P) was utilized to assess the actionability and understandability of materials. For each online source, the relationship between its Google search rank (from first to last) and its readability, understandability, and actionability was calculated utilizing the Spearman rank correlation coefficient (ρS).Results:Overall, we identified 68 unique websites, of which 39 met inclusion criteria. The mean Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level was 10.08 ± 2.34, with no website scoring at or below the 6th-grade level. Mean understandability and actionability scores were 59.18 ± 10.86 (range, 33.64-79.17) and 34.41 ± 22.31 (range, 0.00-81.67), respectively. Only 5 (12.82%) and 1 (2.56%) resource scored above the 70% adequate PEMAT-P threshold mark for understandability and actionability, respectively. Readability (lowest P value = .103), understandability (ρS = –0.13; P = .441), and actionability (ρS = 0.28; P = .096) scores were not associated with Google rank.Conclusion:Patient education materials on ACL surgery scored poorly with respect to readability, understandability, and actionability. No online resource scored at the recommended reading level of the American Medical Association or National Institutes of Health. Only 5 resources scored above the proven threshold for understandability, and only 1 resource scored above it for actionability.

The Effect of STEM Approach In Science Education On Academic Success: A Meta-Analysis Study

In this research, a meta-analysis study was conducted to examine the effect of the STEM approach in science education on academic success of students. In accordance with the criteria determined in the meta-analysis study, the studies included in the research are at the Master's and doctoral levels, and these studies were taken from the National Thesis Center database of the Council of Higher Education. In the study, a total of 147 studies carried out between 2010 and 2020 were examined and 31 Master's and 3 Doctoral studies fit the criteria of inclusion were included in the meta-analysis. The sample of a total of 34 studies consisted of 1962 students at the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade levels. Analyses were made with the help of Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V2 statistical program. The random effects model was used because the structure was heterogeneous when the studies were analysed and combined. As a result of the research, the effect size of the STEM approach in science education on students' academic success was calculated as 1.420. These values are a large effect size according to the academic success variable according to the classification made. In this context, it has been concluded that the STEM approach in science education has a positive and wide-ranging effect on increasing the academic success of students. The size of the effect on academic success differed according to the grade level, and the highest effect was observed in the studies at the 4th grade level.

MP08-05 EVALUATING THE QUALITY OF ONLINE HEALTH EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES REGARDING HYPOSPADIAS DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 May 2022MP08-05 EVALUATING THE QUALITY OF ONLINE HEALTH EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES REGARDING HYPOSPADIAS DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT Yash Shah, Nathan Hyacinthe, Nicolas Fernandez, Carlos Villanueva, Paige Bosse, Melise Keays, and Christopher Long Yash ShahYash Shah More articles by this author , Nathan HyacintheNathan Hyacinthe More articles by this author , Nicolas FernandezNicolas Fernandez More articles by this author , Carlos VillanuevaCarlos Villanueva More articles by this author , Paige BossePaige Bosse More articles by this author , Melise KeaysMelise Keays More articles by this author , and Christopher LongChristopher Long More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000002530.05AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: A diagnosis of hypospadias can be overwhelming for parents. Online patient and parental educational materials are frequently used by patients and family members as supplemental information to assist in understanding their child’s condition, for medical decision making, and for understanding post-surgery care. 98% of parents utilize the Internet for pediatric health advice. It is recommended that online resources be structured at a 6th grade level to ensure broad applicability and comprehension. We hypothesized that academic fellowship training institutional websites would exceed the average American adult’s reading level, impairing patient or caregiver understanding. METHODS: Online hypospadias educational material from all pediatric teaching hospitals with accredited Society of Pediatric Urology training programs in the US and Canada were compiled. Two reviewers independently edited text to remove extraneous information and calculated readability scores using Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Gunning-Fog Index (GFI), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), Coleman-Liau Index (CLI), and Automated Readability Index (ARI). Intra- and inter-observer reliability were measured. RESULTS: Of the 25 online hypospadias educational materials studied, the mean grade level across 5 tests was 11.06±2.21 (Table 1), with a wide range of grade levels across institutions from 7 to 13. None met the recommended 6th grade level. Altogether, the FRES was 50.64±11.66. This is classified as Fairly Difficult with an estimated 10-12 reading grade and 54% of U.S. adult comprehension. 17.30% of words were designated as complex. Only 1 institution had educational materials in a language other than English. Intra- and inter-observer reliability were excellent, with the Pearson correlation coefficient for each tool ≥0.95. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that online hypospadias resources published by leading pediatric hospitals are written above the recommended reading level for patient and caregiver education. Complex word usage was high and there was little information for non-English speaking patients. A standard for online resources for parental education that meets broad comprehension goals should be established to improve awareness and outcomes. Source of Funding: None © 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 207Issue Supplement 5May 2022Page: e126 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Yash Shah More articles by this author Nathan Hyacinthe More articles by this author Nicolas Fernandez More articles by this author Carlos Villanueva More articles by this author Paige Bosse More articles by this author Melise Keays More articles by this author Christopher Long More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF DownloadLoading ...

Readability of COVID-19 vaccine information for the general public

BackgroundMore than 130 million individuals in the United States have now received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Currently, all adults in the Unites States now have access to one of three COVID-19 vaccines. As part of the vaccination procedure, Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) fact sheets, which contain information regarding the vaccine, are provided. The purpose of this study was to analyze the ease of reading (i.e., readability) of the EUA-approved fact sheets for the vaccines currently available in the United States, the V-Safe adverse event survey script, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website information on COVID-19 vaccines designed for the general public in the United States. MethodsWe acquired the Pfizer, Moderna, and Janssen EUA fact sheets, as well as the V-Safe survey script and the CDC website information regarding COVID-19 vaccines. These documents were analyzed for their complexity regarding the following readability factors: average length of paragraphs, sentences, and words; font size and style; use of passive voice; the Gunning-Fog index; the Flesch Reading Ease index; and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level index. ResultsOnly the V-Safe adverse-event survey script met readability standards for adequate comprehension. The mean readability scores of the EUA fact sheets and the CDC website were as follows: Flesch Reading Ease score (44.35 avg); Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (10.48 avg); and Gunning-Fog index (11.8 avg).These scores indicate that at least a 10th-grade level education would be required to understand these reading materials. ConclusionThe average person in the United States would have difficulty understanding the information provided in the EUA fact sheets and CDC COVID-19 vaccine website documents; however, the V-Safe survey was written at an adequate reading level. To ensure that the general public fully understands information regarding COVID-19 vaccines, greater care and effort should be given to the development of simplified information material.

GIFTED SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS REGARDING THE CONCEPT OF GEOGRAPHY

In the present study, it is tried to determine how gifted secondary school students perceive the concept of “geography”. For this purpose, the metaphors developed by the gifted students regarding the related concept and the data obtained from the pictures/cartoons they drew were examined. Qualitative research techniques such as data collection through metaphors and document analysis were used together in the research, which was carried out in the survey model in the qualitative research design. The study group consists of 106 female and 110 male, a total of 216 students from the 5th, 6th and 7th grades of secondary school studying at Sivas Science and Art Center in the 2021-2022 academic year. The study group was selected by the maximum variation sampling method. Content analysis was used to analyze the data obtained from the participants. According to the findings, a total of 119 metaphors were developed regarding the concept of “geography” as follow: 42 from 72 participants at the 5th grade level, 44 from 57 participants at the 6th grade level, and 33 from 41 participants at the 7th grade level. These metaphors developed by the participants for the related concept are grouped under fourteen conceptual categories. According to these categories, it is seen that the majority of the participants perceive geography as “informative, has diverse braches and inclusive”. It is recommended that studies be carried out to determine whether there are differences in perception between gifted students and other students by increasing the research on the perceptions of geography of students studying in other secondary schools apart from Science and Art Centers. Anahtar Kelimeler Geography, perception, gifted student

Web-Based Patient Educational Material on Osteosarcoma: Quantitative Assessment of Readability and Understandability.

BackgroundPatients often turn to web-based resources following the diagnosis of osteosarcoma. To be fully understood by average American adults, the American Medical Association (AMA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommend web-based health information to be written at a 6th grade level or lower. Previous analyses of osteosarcoma resources have not measured whether text is written such that readers can process key information (understandability) or identify available actions to take (actionability). The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) is a validated measurement of understandability and actionability.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate web-based osteosarcoma resources using measures of readability, understandability, and actionability.MethodsUsing the search term “osteosarcoma,” two independent Google searches were performed on March 7, 2020 (by AGS), and March 11, 2020 (by TRG). The top 50 results were collected. Websites were included if they were directed at providing patient education on osteosarcoma. Readability was quantified using validated algorithms: Flesh-Kincaid Grade Ease (FKGE), Flesch-Kincaid Grade-Level (FKGL). A higher FKGE score indicates that the material is easier to read. All other readability scores represent the US school grade level. Two independent PEMAT assessments were performed with independent scores assigned for both understandability and actionability. A PEMAT score of 70% or below is considered poorly understandable or poorly actionable. Statistical significance was defined as P≤.05.ResultsTwo searches yielded 53 unique websites, of which 37 (70%) met the inclusion criteria. The mean FKGE and FKGL scores were 40.8 (SD 13.6) and 12.0 (SD 2.4), respectively. No website scored within the acceptable NIH or AHA recommended reading level. Only 4 (11%) and 1 (3%) website met the acceptable understandability and actionability threshold. Both understandability and actionability were positively correlated with FKGE (ρ=0.55, P<.001; ρ=0.60, P<.001), but were otherwise not significantly associated with other readability scores. There were no associations between readability (P=.15), understandability (P=.20), or actionability (P=.31) scores and Google rank.ConclusionsOverall, web-based osteosarcoma patient educational materials scored poorly with respect to readability, understandability, and actionability. None of the web-based resources scored at the recommended reading level. Only 4 achieved the appropriate score to be considered understandable by the general public. Authors of patient resources should incorporate PEMAT and readability criteria to improve web-based resources to support patient understanding.

Bullous Pemphigoid: Readability, Quality, and Treatments of Online Health Resources

Bullous Pemphigoid: Readability, Quality, and Treatments of Online Health Resources

Quality-Based Evaluation of Patient-Facing Online Education Materials Regarding Facial Filler Procedures.

Injectable facial fillers have become tremendously more popular in recent years, and the Internet offers a proportional amount of consumer-facing educational material. This study sought to explore the quality of these online materials. The top 20 Web sites offering educational materials about facial filler were identified via Google search and sorted by source: Medical Professional Boards, Hospitals and Providers, Medical News and Reference, and Fashion. The materials were assessed for overall quality with the validated DISCERN instrument. The authors also assessed understandability and actionability (Patient Education Material Assessment Tool - PEMAT), accuracy, comprehensiveness, and readability (Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level and Flesch Reading Ease). The mean DISCERN score was 46.9 ± 7.6, which is considered "fair" quality educational material; above "poor," but below "good" and "excellent." Understandability and actionability scores were low, particularly with respect to visual aids. The materials were generally accurate (76-99%), but scored poorly in comprehensiveness, as 15% failed to mention any risks/adverse effects and only 35% mentioned cost. On average, readability was at an 11th grade level, far more complex than ideal (< 6th grade level). Information disseminated from seemingly reputable sources such as professional boards and hospitals/providers were not of higher quality or superior in any of the above studied domains. In conclusion, online educational materials related to injectable facial fillers are of subpar quality, including those from academic and professional organizations. Visual aids were particularly weak. The facial rejuvenation community should make a concerted effort to set a higher standard for disseminating such information.

Assessing and optimizing readability of dermatology patient education materials (PEMs).

Patient education materials (PEMs) are a powerful tool to improve patient understanding; however, inadequate health literacy is a well-established barrier for PEMs to serve their purpose. The average American reads at an 8th grade level and the National Institute of Health (NIH) recommendation for PEMs is at the 6th grade level. The purpose of this study was to assess and optimize PEMs to identify changes that are most effective at lowering the reading level without diluting its educational content. Edits that decrease the number of syllables per word were most effective at improving readability without diminishing educational content when compared to edits involving the total number of words.

A comparison of creative problem solving features of gifted and non-gifted high school students

This study, it was aimed to examine the creative problem-solving characteristics of gifted and non-gifted high school students in terms of giftedness diagnosis, gender, and grade level variables. The research used the descriptive research model and causal comparison design, which are among the scanning models. A total of 375 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th-grade students, 73 gifted students, and 302 non-gifted students participated in the research. Data on gifted students were collected from two Science and Art Centers in a province in the Marmara region. Data on non-gifted students were collected from two Science High Schools and three Anatolian High Schools in the same province. "Creative Problem Solving Features Inventory" was used as a data collection tool in the research. It has been observed that the creative problem-solving skills of the gifted and non-gifted students differ in divergent thinking, general knowledge and skills, and the general average in favor of the gifted. There was a significant difference in favor of girls in the general average scores and the mean scores of the environment sub-dimension among gifted students. A significant difference was found in favor of the gifted in the dimension of divergent thinking at the 9th-grade level, and in the dimension of divergent thinking and general knowledge and skills at the 11th-grade level. However, it was observed that there was no significant difference between gifted and non-gifted students at the 10th and 12th-grade levels.

The readability of online patient education materials for slipped capital femoral epiphysis.

Given the long-term complications of undiagnosed slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) and the importance of readable health information materials on positive, equitable health outcomes, the objective of this study was to determine if the online patient education materials regarding SCFE are written at or below accepted recommendations. The secondary objective was to determine whether the readability of these materials varied when stratified by the type of website. 'Slipped capital femoral epiphysis', 'SCFE', and 'slipped femoral head' were used as search queries in three common search engines. The readability of each website was evaluated using five established metrics, and the scores were compared by website type and by the complexity of the search query. In this study of 53 unique websites about SCFE, we demonstrated that only one of the web pages was written at the recommended sixth-grade level, and the mean reading level of the online material was above the 10th-grade level. Post hoc testing showed that only websites associated with pediatric academic institutions were written at a significantly lower grade level than general health websites [P < 0.05 for all, range (0.003, 0.04)]. The materials about SCFE that are available to patients and their families continue to be written at an inappropriate level. To increase accessibility and allow for equitable long-term health outcomes, physicians, universities, hospitals and medical societies must ensure that they produce readable education to increase patients' understanding of SCFE, its symptoms and available treatment options. Future studies evaluating progress regarding these metrics are warranted.

EFL Learners’ Preferences and Emotions about Oral Corrective Feedback at Secondary Education in Turkey: Are There Gender and Grade-level Differences?

Oral corrective feedback has attracted the attention of EFL teachers and researchers in recent decades. The current study aims to investigate EFL learners’ preferences and emotions about oral corrective feedback with a specific focus on gender and grade level at secondary education in Turkey. Quantitative research methods were used to reveal the findings. 664 EFL learners participated in the study at two different state high schools in Ankara, Turkey. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to investigate the OCF preferences of EFL high school learners. It was revealed that more than half of the high school EFL learners worried about making mistakes in the classroom; however, the majority of the learners agreed on the necessity of receiving OCF and they had positive feelings for being given immediate feedback by their teachers. Regardless of gender and grade level, EFL learners had a higher preference for ‘self-correction’. Females preferred ‘metalinguistic clues’ as the first choice and ‘peer correction’ as the last choice among the OCF types whereas males prefer ‘peer correction’ as the first, but ‘metalinguistic clues’ as the last choice. Among the grade levels, 10th-grade level learners have more concerns about making mistakes and these learners prefer ‘clarification request’ and ‘repetition of error’ a lot more than the 9th-grade level learners.