Journal articles on the topic 'Website readability'
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King, Emma. "An Evaluation of Internet Websites Provided by Radiotherapy Departments." Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice 6, no. 2 (June 2007): 111–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1460396907005109.
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AbstractThe research identifies and evaluates the content and readability of Websites of all radiotherapy departments that provide a Website. As more patients are being referred for radiotherapy treatment each year, the information needs of the public on this subject is growing. Fifty-two per cent of radiotherapy departments within the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland were identified as providing a Website. These Websites were evaluated, over a period of 2 weeks, using an adapted Website evaluation tool. Five criteria – content, authority, navigation, design and technical aspects – were identified as important aspects of a Website. For each criterion a number of statements were listed and using a Likert scale were marked. Flesch–Kincaid readability tests were used to analyse the readability level of the Websites. Data analysis resulted in the ranking of the Websites. Evaluation scores varied greatly and the readability tests showed 92% of the Websites were written at a level too high for the public. This shows the varying quality of radiotherapy department Websites with scores ranging from 48 to 115, and the varying readability level of these Websites. The research makes suggestions for the improvement of radiotherapy department Websites including the provision of a dedicated Website team within the department, educated in Website design.
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Alfonso, Allyson R., Evellyn M. DeMitchell-Rodriguez, Elie P. Ramly, Daphney Y. Noel, Dina Levy-Lambert, Maxime M. Wang, Rami S. Kantar, and Roberto L. Flores. "Assessment of American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association-Approved Teams’ Websites for Patient-Oriented Content and Readability." Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal 56, no. 9 (May 26, 2019): 1213–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1055665619850441.
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Objective: Informed decision-making relies on available information, including online resources. We evaluated the content and readability of websites published by American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA)-approved cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) teams in the United States. Design: Team websites were reviewed, and teams with no accessible website or <30 sentences of content were excluded. Website content was scored by presence/absence of 20 variables derived from ACPA approval standards. Readability was evaluated with 8 scales. Readability was then compared to American Medical Association (AMA) recommendations. The relationship between website content and readability was assessed. Main Outcome Measure(s): Content and readability of team websites. Results: From 167 reviewed teams, 47 (28.1%) had nonfunctional links, 17 (10.2%) had no accessible website, and 39 (23.4%) had <30 sentences. The average content score for all 111 team websites included was 14.5 (2.6) of 20. The combined average reading level across all scales (10.7 [1.9]) exceeded the AMA-recommended sixth-grade reading level; this finding held true for each individual website. Children’s Hospital-affiliated teams (n = 86) had a significantly higher content score (14.8 vs 13.5; P = .03) and better readability as evidenced by lower reading grade level (10.5 vs 11.4; P = .04). On linear regression, a higher content score significantly predicted better readability (β = −0.226; P < .001). Conclusions: Websites published by ACPA-approved CLP teams vary in accessibility and content and exceed the recommended reading level. These findings could inform future efforts to improve patient-oriented resources.
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Llinás, G., D. Rodríguez-Iñesta, S. Lorenzo, C. Aibar, and J. J. Mira. "A Comparison of Websites from Spanish, American and British Hospitals." Methods of Information in Medicine 47, no. 02 (2008): 124–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.3414/me0474.
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Summary Objective: To evaluate and compare the user-orientation of Spanish, American and British hospital websites. Methods: A descriptive study of 32 hospital portals (12 Spanish, 10 American and 10 British) was carried out in which the following were analyzed: website readability according to the Flesch Index, websites accessibility using the Web Accessibility Test, and the quality of information provided using the “e-Information Scale of Health Care Centers”. Results: Fifty percent of the user-oriented information quality attributes are met. Readability indices tend to be below 60 (standard readability), and only 10 of the 32 websites meet the accessibility criteria. Conclusions: Most portals exhibit accessibility problems that favor computer illiteracy. There is a wide variability in terms of website readability and in terms of useroriented content.
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Byrne, Jim, Samuel Keogh, Carolyn Cullinane, Zeeshan Razzaq, and Henry Paul Redmond. "Readability and Quality of Online Health Information Regarding Parathyroidectomy." OTO Open 6, no. 4 (October 2022): 2473974X2211333. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2473974x221133308.
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Objective Assessment of the readability and quality of online health information regarding parathyroidectomy. Study Design Cross-sectional analysis. Setting Websites providing patient-oriented health information regarding parathyroidectomy obtained via the Google search engine. Methods The top 75 Google search results for “parathyroidectomy,”“parathyroid surgery,” and “parathyroid gland removal” were reviewed. Websites were categorized by website type and country of origin. Readability was assessed by Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook. Website quality was assessed per JAMA benchmark criteria and the DISCERN instrument. Results A total of 74 unique websites were evaluated. The mean readability of the assessed websites exceeded the recommended sixth-grade reading level on the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook ( P < .001). Readability did not vary significantly by website type. Websites originating from the United Kingdom were significantly more readable than those from the United States. The majority of assessed websites were of poor quality (n = 42, 56.8%) on assessment based on the DISCERN instrument. Quality varied significantly by website category on the JAMA benchmark criteria ( P < .001) and DISCERN score ( P = .049) with commercial websites receiving the highest scores. DISCERN score also varied significantly by country of origin ( P = .036) with UK sites receiving highest mean DISCERN scores. Conclusion Online health information regarding parathyroidectomy is largely of poor quality and is poorly readable for many patients. Institutions utilizing well-defined guidelines for development of patient educational resources may provide online health information of greater quality and readability.
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Hinds, Richard M., Michael B. Gottschalk, Raghuveer C. Muppavarapu, Amish A. Naik, S. Steven Yang, and John T. Capo. "Assessment of the Accuracy of Online Information Regarding Trigger Finger." Journal of Hand Surgery (Asian-Pacific Volume) 21, no. 02 (May 3, 2016): 193–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/s2424835516500181.
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Background: Review of the recent literature suggests substantial use of the Internet by patients seeking health care information despite questionable accuracy and readability of information presented on some websites. The purpose of our study was to assess the accuracy, quality, and readability of online information regarding trigger finger. Methods: Three terms (“trigger finger”, “stenosing tenosynovitis”, and “finger locking”) were used to query three Internet search engines to evaluate websites regarding information about trigger finger. Three hand surgery fellows independently assessed website accuracy and quality using standardized scoring criteria. The Fleisch-Kincaid reading grade level score was used to assess website readability. Website authorship and commercial association were also noted. Results: Sixty-nine unique websites were assessed. Internet information obtained using the search term “stenosing tenosynovitis” was written at a significantly higher reading level than information found using “finger locking” or “trigger finger”. Website quality and accuracy were both significantly better in websites authored by physicians compared to websites authored by non-physicians. However, website accuracy was significantly poorer in websites featuring commercial association. Additionally, websites presenting information written below the 8th grade reading level demonstrated poorer accuracy. Conclusions: Search term has a significant effect on the readability of online information regarding trigger finger. Despite the terminology used in searches, most websites are largely inaccurate and may not be easily understandable by the general population. This demonstrates a substantial barrier to accessing accurate health care information and may impact patient outcomes. Hand surgeons should direct patients towards websites presenting accurate information with easily readable content.
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Gollapalli, Syama, Richard Bresler, Noel P. Lynch, and Sean T. Martin. "Treatment for Constipation—An Online Search. Readability and Quality of Online Patient Resources." Journal of Patient Experience 9 (January 2022): 237437352211026. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/23743735221102675.
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Aim: To evaluate the readability and quality of online patient information regarding treatment for constipation in the English language. Methods: By utilizing the Google © website, the keyword “treatment for chronic constipation” was searched. Each webpage was assessed by 2 authors independently for readability using both the Gunning Fog Index (GFI) and the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES). The quality of the information produced on each individual website was assessed using the DISCERN instrument. Other parameters that were recorded included the country of origin, the organization type, and whether or not the website was issued a Health on the Net (HoN) certificate. Results: This study identified a mean GFI score of 13.2 and a mean FRES score of 48.9. This result indicates poor overall readability. A mean DISCERN score of 37.9 was produced, indicating an overall weak quality of online information on this topic. This study indicated that parameters such as website organization type and the presence or absence of HoN certification impacted the quality of the information websites on this topic. Conclusion: This study indicated a poor level of quality and readability of online information on the topic of chronic constipation treatment. Further resources should be directed towards improving website readability and quality. Patients may be advised that if they wish to access online information on this topic, websites that display HoN accreditation will likely produce higher quality information.
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Erian, Christopher, Michael Erian, and Sumit Raniga. "Impingement on the internet: evaluating the quality and readability of online subacromial impingement information." BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine 7, no. 4 (November 2021): e001203. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2021-001203.
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Patients increasingly access the internet to learn about their orthopaedic conditions. Despite this, online information may be unregulated, of questionable quality and difficulty to read.ObjectivesTherefore, this study aimed to evaluate the readability and quality of the online information concerning subacromial impingement syndrome.MethodsA search using Australia’s three most popular online search engines was undertaken using the search terms ‘subacromial impingement syndrome’ and ‘shoulder impingement’. The first 15 websites for each term were evaluated. Duplicates, advertisements and sponsored links were removed.The quality and readability of each website were calculated using the DISCERN and Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease (FKRE) tools, respectively. The differences in quality and readability between each website type (healthcare/academic, commercial, news outlet, charitable/not-for-profit, layperson, government) was assessed using analysis of variance. The correlation between quality and readability was assessed using the Pearson correlation coefficient.ResultsThe majority of 35 unique websites analysed were of ‘poor’/’fair’ quality (determined via the DISCERN instrument) and ‘difficult’ readability (per the FKRE tool), with no correlation established between the scores. There was no statistically significant difference in quality across website types, however layperson, news outlet and government websites were found to be significantly more readable than alternate website categories (p<0.05).ConclusionsWe determined that much of the online information concerning subacromial impingement syndrome may be difficult to read and/or of poor quality. By recognising the shortcomings of information accessed by patients online, it is hoped clinicians may be prompted to better educate their patients.
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McKearney, R. M., R. C. MacKinnon, M. Smith, and R. Baker. "Tinnitus information online – does it ring true?" Journal of Laryngology & Otology 132, no. 11 (October 24, 2018): 984–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022215118001792.
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AbstractObjectiveTo assess, using standardised tools, the quality and readability of online tinnitus information that patients are likely to access.MethodsA standardised review was conducted of websites relating to tinnitus and its management. Each website was scored using the DISCERN instrument and the Flesch Reading Ease scale.ResultsTwenty-seven unique websites were evaluated. The mean DISCERN score of the websites was 34.5 out of 80 (standard deviation = 11.2). This would be considered ‘fair’ in quality. Variability in DISCERN score between websites was high (range, 15–57: ‘poor’ to ‘very good’). Website readability was poor, with a mean Flesch Reading Ease score of 52.6 (standard deviation = 7.7); this would be considered ‘difficult’ to read.ConclusionIn general, the quality of tinnitus websites is fair and the readability is poor, with substantial variability in quality between websites. The Action on Hearing Loss and the British Tinnitus Association websites were identified as providing the highest quality information.
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Oman, Sven P., Himesh Zaver, Mark Waddle, and Juan E. Corral. "Quality and Readability of Web-Based Information for Patients With Pancreatic Cysts: DISCERN and Readability Test Analysis." JMIR Cancer 7, no. 1 (March 16, 2021): e25602. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/25602.
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Background Pancreatic cysts are a complex medical problem with several treatment options. Patients use web-based health information to understand their conditions and to guide treatment choices. Objective The goal of this study was to describe the quality and readability of publicly available web-based information on pancreatic cysts and to compare this information across website affiliations. Methods A Google search for “pancreatic cysts” was performed and the first 30 websites were evaluated. Website affiliations were classified as academic, media, nonprofit, government, or not disclosed. Information describing cancer risk was recorded. The DISCERN instrument measured the quality of content regarding treatment choices. Four standardized tests were used to measure readability. Results Twenty-one websites were included. The majority of the websites (20/21, 95%) described the cancer risk associated with pancreatic cysts. Nearly half of the websites were written by an academic hospital or organization. The average DISCERN score for all websites was 40.4 (range 26-65.5, maximum 80). Websites received low scores due to lack of references, failure to describe the risks of treatment, or lack of details on how treatment choices affect quality of life. The average readability score was 14.74 (range 5.76-23.85, maximum 19+), indicating a college reading level. There were no significant differences across website affiliation groups. Conclusions Web-based information for patients with pancreatic cysts is of moderate quality and is written above the reading level of most Americans. Gastroenterological, cancer treatment organizations, and physicians should advocate for improving the available information by providing cancer risk stratification, treatment impact on quality of life, references, and better readability.
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Eloy, Jean Anderson, Shawn Li, Khushabu Kasabwala, Nitin Agarwal, David R. Hansberry, Soly Baredes, and Michael Setzen. "Readability Assessment of Patient Education Materials on Major Otolaryngology Association Websites." Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery 147, no. 5 (August 3, 2012): 848–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0194599812456152.
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Objective Various otolaryngology associations provide Internet-based patient education material (IPEM) to the general public. However, this information may be written above the fourth- to sixth-grade reading level recommended by the American Medical Association (AMA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH). The purpose of this study was to assess the readability of otolaryngology-related IPEMs on various otolaryngology association websites and to determine whether they are above the recommended reading level for patient education materials. Study Design and Setting Analysis of patient education materials from 9 major otolaryngology association websites. Methods The readability of 262 otolaryngology-related IPEMs was assessed with 8 numerical and 2 graphical readability tools. Averages were evaluated against national recommendations and between each source using analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc Tukey’s honestly significant difference (HSD) analysis. Mean readability scores for each otolaryngology association website were compared. Results Mean website readability scores using Flesch Reading Ease test, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Coleman-Liau Index, SMOG grading, Gunning Fog Index, New Dale-Chall Readability Formula, FORCAST Formula, New Fog Count Test, Raygor Readability Estimate, and the Fry Readability Graph ranged from 20.0 to 57.8, 9.7 to 17.1, 10.7 to 15.9, 11.6 to 18.2, 10.9 to 15.0, 8.6 to 16.0, 10.4 to 12.1, 8.5 to 11.8, 10.5 to 17.0, and 10.0 to 17.0, respectively. ANOVA results indicate a significant difference ( P < .05) between the websites for each individual assessment. Conclusion The IPEMs found on all otolaryngology association websites exceed the recommended fourth- to sixth-grade reading level.
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Besson, Alex J., Christy Kei, Belinda Jackson, Trevor M. Yeung, Irene Deftereos, and Justin M. C. Yeung. "Patient information on the internet for surgical management of inflammatory bowel disease: is it good enough?" International Surgery Journal 8, no. 1 (December 28, 2020): 12. http://dx.doi.org/10.18203/2349-2902.isj20205865.
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Background: Our study aimed to identify the search engines and terms commonly used by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients and aimed to assess the quality and readability of these resources.Methods: Patients attending IBD clinic were surveyed, regarding search engines, terms and number of websites viewed. Websites according to these predetermined criteria were identified. Website content was described and quality was assessed using DISCERN. Readability was graded using the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES).Results: From 33 survey responses, Google was universally utilised. Forty-two websites met the inclusion criteria (19 for Crohn’s disease (CD), 23 for ulcerative colitis (UC). Only one website originated from Australia. Websites were infrequently updated (CD 21%, UC 17%) within the previous 12 months. Overall readability was poor with a mean FRES of 35.8 (11.8, range 15.7-57.7) for CD and 35.7 (11.3, range 19.4-54.3) for UC websites. Quality was moderate to poor with only five (12%) websites being rated as high quality (2 CD, 3 UC).Conclusions: There is very little Australian based web information available on IBD surgery and overall, it is of a low readability and poor content quality. There is need for the development of patient targeted health literature to help these patients.
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Ferrari, Amerigo, Luca Pirrotta, Manila Bonciani, Giulia Venturi, and Milena Vainieri. "Higher readability of institutional websites drives the correct fruition of the abortion pathway: A cross-sectional study." PLOS ONE 17, no. 11 (November 4, 2022): e0277342. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277342.
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Background In Italy, abortion services are public: therefore, health Institutions should provide clear and easily readable web-based information. We aimed to 1) assess variation in abortion services utilisation; 2) analyse the readability of institutional websites informing on induced abortion; 3) explore whether easier-to-read institutional websites influenced the correct fruition of abortion services. Methods We identified from the 2021 administrative databases of Tuscany all women having an abortion, and–among them–women having an abortion with the certification provided by family counselling centres, following the pathway established by law. We assessed variation in total and certified abortion rates by computing the Systematic Component of Variation. We analysed the readability of the Tuscan health authorities’ websites using the readability assessment tool READ-IT. We explored how institutional website readability influenced the odds of having certified abortions by running multilevel logistic models, considering health authorities as the highest-level variables. Results We observed high variation in the correct utilization of the abortion pathway in terms of certified abortion rates. The READ-IT scores showed that the most readable text was from the Florence Teaching Hospital website. Multilevel models revealed that higher READ-IT scores, corresponding to more difficult texts, resulted in lower odds of certified abortions. Conclusions Large variation in the proper fruition of abortion pathways occurs in Tuscany, and such variation may depend on readability of institutional websites informing on induced abortion. Therefore, health Institutions should monitor and improve the readability of their websites to ensure proper and more equitable access to abortion.
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Ritchie, L., C. Tornari, P. M. Patel, and R. Lakhani. "Glue ear: how good is the information on the World Wide Web?" Journal of Laryngology & Otology 130, no. 2 (January 25, 2016): 157–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022215115003230.
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AbstractObjective:This paper objectively evaluates current information available to the general public related to glue ear on the World Wide Web.Methods:The term ‘glue ear’ was typed into the 3 most frequently used internet search engines – Google, Bing and Yahoo – and the first 20 links were analysed. The first 400 words of each page were used to calculate the Flesch–Kincaid readability score. Each website was subsequently graded using the Discern instrument, which gauges quality and content of literature.Results:The websites Webmd.boots.com, Bupa.co.uk and Patient.co.uk received the highest overall scores. These reflected top scores in either readability or Discern instrument assessment, but not both. Readability and Discern scores increased with the presence of a marketing or advertising incentive. The Patient.co.uk website had the highest Discern score and third highest readability score.Conclusion:There is huge variation in the quality of information available to patients on the internet. Some websites may be accessible to a wide range of reading ages but have poor quality content, and vice versa. Clinicians should be aware of indicators of quality, and use validated instruments to assess and recommend literature.
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Koo, Kevin, and Ronald L. Yap. "How Readable Is BPH Treatment Information on the Internet? Assessing Barriers to Literacy in Prostate Health." American Journal of Men's Health 11, no. 2 (November 30, 2016): 300–307. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1557988316680935.
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Information about benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has become increasingly accessible on the Internet. Though the ability to find such material is encouraging, its readability and impact on informing patient decision making are not known. To evaluate the readability of Internet-based information about BPH in the context of website ownership and Health on the Net certification, three search engines were queried daily for 1 month with BPH-related keywords. Website ownership data and Health on the Net certification status were verified. Three readability analyses were performed: SMOG test, Dale–Chall readability formula, and Fry readability graph. An adjusted SMOG calculation was performed to reduce overestimation from medical jargon. After a total of 270 searches, 52 websites met inclusion criteria. Mean SMOG grade was 10.6 ( SD = 1.4) and 10.2 after adjustment. Mean Dale–Chall score was 9.1 ( SD = 0.6), or Grades 13 to 15. Mean Fry graph coordinates (173 syllables, 5.1 sentences) corresponded to Grade 15. Seven sites (13%) were at or below the average adult reading level based on SMOG; none of the sites qualified based on the other tests. Readability was significantly poorer for academic versus commercial sites and for Health on the Net-certified versus noncertified sites. In conclusion, online information about BPH treatment markedly exceeds the reading comprehension of most U.S. adults. Websites maintained by academic institutions and certified by the Health on the Net standard have more difficult readability. Efforts to improve literacy with respect to urological health should target content readability independent of reliability.
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Manchaiah, Vinaya, Ashley L. Dockens, Ashley Flagge, Monica Bellon-Harn, Jamie Hartwell Azios, Rebecca J. Kelly-Campbell, and Gerhard Andersson. "Quality and Readability of English-Language Internet Information for Tinnitus." Journal of the American Academy of Audiology 30, no. 01 (January 2019): 031–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.3766/jaaa.17070.
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AbstractBecause of the wealth of information available on the internet and increasing numbers of individuals relying on websites as a primary source of information for health-related questions, it is important that the readability of their content is within the comprehension level of most readers.The study evaluated the quality and readability of English-language Internet information for tinnitus.Analysis of Internet websites on tinnitus.A total of 134 websites with tinnitus information.Three key words (i.e., tinnitus, ringing in the ear, and buzzing in the ear) were entered in five country-specific versions of the most commonly used internet search engine in August 2016. For each of the 15 searches, the first 20 relevant websites were examined. After removing duplicates, a total of 134 websites were assessed. Their origin (commercial, nonprofit organization, government, personal, or university), quality (Health On the Net [HON] certification and DISCERN scores), and readability (Flesch Reading Ease score, Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level Formula, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook) were assessed.Most websites were of commercial (49.3%) or nonprofit organization (38.8%) origin. Their quality and readability was highly variable. Only 13.5% of websites had HON certification. χ2 analysis showed that there was significant association between website origin and HON certification [χ2(4) = 132.9, p < 0.0001]. The mean DISCERN scores were 2.39. No association between DISCERN scores and website origin was found. Readability measures showed that on average, only people with at least 10–12 yr of education could read and understand the internet information for tinnitus in websites. Almost all the websites exceeded the most stringent reading level recommended for health information.The results highlight great variability in the quality and readability of health information, specifically for tinnitus in the internet. These findings underscores the need for stakeholders (e.g., web-developers, clinicians) to be aware of this and to develop more user-friendly health information on websites to make it more accessible for people with low literacy.
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Murray, Kieran Edward, Timothy Eanna Murray, Anna Caroline O'Rourke, Candice Low, and Douglas James Veale. "Readability and Quality of Online Information on Osteoarthritis: An Objective Analysis With Historic Comparison." Interactive Journal of Medical Research 8, no. 3 (September 16, 2019): e12855. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/12855.
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Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common cause of disability in people older than 65 years. Readability of online OA information has never been assessed. A 2003 study found the quality of online OA information to be poor. Objective The aim of this study was to review the readability and quality of current online information regarding OA. Methods The term osteoarthritis was searched across the three most popular English language search engines. The first 25 pages from each search engine were analyzed. Duplicate pages, websites featuring paid advertisements, inaccessible pages (behind a pay wall, not available for geographical reasons), and nontext pages were excluded. Readability was measured using Flesch Reading Ease Score, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, and Gunning-Fog Index. Website quality was scored using the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria and the DISCERN criteria. Presence or absence of the Health On the Net Foundation Code of Conduct (HONcode) certification, age of content, content producer, and author characteristics were noted. Results A total of 37 unique websites were found suitable for analysis. Readability varied by assessment tool from 8th to 12th grade level. This compares with the recommended 7th to 8th grade level. Of the 37, 1 (2.7%) website met all 4 JAMA criteria. Mean DISCERN quality of information for OA websites was “fair,” compared with the “poor” grading of a 2003 study. HONcode-endorsed websites (43%, 16/37) were of a statistically significant higher quality. Conclusions Readability of online health information for OA was either equal to or more difficult than the recommended level.
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Bağcı, Zafer, Betul Kozanhan, and Mahmut Sami Tutar. "Readability of Patient Education Texts Presented on the Internet Related to Vaccines." Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases 14, no. 04 (April 18, 2019): 180–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0039-1685522.
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Objective This study aimed to compare the readability and the contents of the patient information texts regarding vaccination on Turkish Internet sites. Material and Methods Websites were searched in the Google search engine using the keywords “what is vaccination?” “benefits of vaccination,” “harms of vaccination,” and “side effects of vaccination” in May 2018. Readability was determined using Ateşman and Bezirci–Yilmaz formulas. According to Ateşman readability formula, the higher the readability of a text, the easier it can be read. Readability of “health-care professional” websites was compared with that of “non–health-care professional” websites. The content of the websites was analyzed by two pediatricians. Results After the exclusion of the website not fulfilling the criteria, 44 websites, of which 20 were created by health-care professionals and 24 by non–health-care professionals, were evaluated. Ateşman readability scores were 53.62 ± 14.27 and 54.30 ± 8.60 for websites created by health-care professionals and non–health-care professionals, respectively. Mean readability level was “moderately difficult” for both groups according to Ateşman formula, and there was no significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.83). Mean readability level was categorized as at “secondary-high school” with Bezirci–Yilmaz readability formula, and there was no significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.68). The percentage of the contents of websites prepared by health-care professionals was found to be significantly higher when compared with non–health-care professionals (p = 0.04). Conclusion It was found that the readability of the patient information texts in the web pages related to vaccination was moderately difficult and that the text content was insufficient. To improve the readability, short sentences should be prepared by health-care professionals with few words and syllables. Existing texts should be revised in the light of current information.
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Kalk, Nicola J., and David D. Pothier. "Patient information on schizophrenia on the internet." Psychiatric Bulletin 32, no. 11 (November 2008): 409–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/pb.bp.107.017004.
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Aims and MethodsThe internet is an important source of mental health information. Given variable literacy levels in the general public, patient information websites need to be easily readable to prevent misunderstanding and consequent misinformation about mental health problems being propagated. the aim was to ascertain the readability of websites containing patient information about schizophrenia. Twenty websites containing patient information about schizophrenia generated by Google® were analysed for Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level.ResultsAccording to standardised Flesch Reading Ease classification, 40% of the selected sites were classified as very difficult, 55% as difficult and 5% as fairly difficult. None were considered easy to read. There was a negative correlation of 70.798 (P < 0.001) between Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, which demonstrates the reliability of these results.Clinical ImplicationsEasily accessed schizophrenia information websites do not score highly for readability. Those that produce websites should bear readability in mind when writing them in order to construct more readable sites. Ideally, these should be accredited by recognised organisations that evaluate readability. Clinicians should assess website information for readability before recommending them to patients or carers.
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Basch, Corey H., Danna Ethan, Sarah A. MacLean, Joseph Fera, Phillip Garcia, and Charles E. Basch. "Readability of Prostate Cancer Information Online: A Cross-Sectional Study." American Journal of Men's Health 12, no. 5 (June 9, 2018): 1665–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1557988318780864.
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Reading and understanding health information, both components of health literacy, can influence patient decisions related to disease management. Older adults, the population of males at greatest risk for prostate cancer, may have compromised capacity to understand and use health information. The purpose of this study was to determine the readability of prostate cancer materials on the Internet using five recommended readability tests. Using a cleared Internet browser, a search was conducted for “prostate cancer.” The URLs of the first 100 websites in English were recorded to create the sample. The readability scores for each website were determined using an online, recommended service. This service generates five commonly recommended readability tests. All five tests revealed that the majority of websites had difficult readability. There were no significant differences identified between websites with .org, .gov, or .edu extension versus those with .com, .net, or other extension. It is apparent that the Internet is used often as a resource for health-related information. This study demonstrates that the large majority of information available on the Internet about prostate cancer will not be readable for many individuals.
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Priyanka, P., Yousaf B. Hadi, and G. J. Reynolds. "Analysis of the Patient Information Quality and Readability on Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) on the Internet." Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2018 (October 29, 2018): 1–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/2849390.
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Objective. Patients are increasingly using the Internet to inform themselves of health-related topics and procedures, including EGD. We analyzed the quality of information and readability of websites after a search on 3 different search engines. Methods. We used an assessment tool for website quality analysis that we developed in addition to using validated instruments for website quality, Global Quality Score (GQS) and Health on Net (HON) certification. The readability was assessed using Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease (FRE) and Flesch-Kincaid Grade level (FKG). 30 results of each search terms ‘EGD’ and ‘Upper Endoscopy’ from Google and 15 each from Bing and Yahoo were analyzed. A total of 45 websites were included from 100 URLs after removing duplicates, video links, and journal articles. Results. Only 3 websites were found to have good quality and comprehensive and authentic information. These websites were https://www.healthline.com, https://www.uptodate.com, and https://www.emedicine.medscape.com. There were additional 13 sites with moderate quality of information. The mean Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease (FRE) score was 46.92 (range 81.6-6.5). The mean Flesch-Kincaid Grade level (FKG) was 11th grade, with a range of 6th grade to 12th grade and above making them difficult to read. Conclusions. Our study shows that there are quite a few websites with moderate quality content. We recommend 3 comprehensive and authentic websites out of 45 URLs analyzed for information on Internet for EGD. In addition, the readability of the websites was consistently at a higher level than recommended by AMA at 11th grade level. In addition, we identified 3 websites with moderate quality content written at 8th grade and below readability level. We feel that gastroenterologists can help their patients better understand this procedure by directing them to these comprehensive websites.
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Sideris, Georgios Antonios, Aikaterini-Themis Vyllioti, Danai Dima, Michael Chill, and Njogu Njuguna. "The Value of Web-Based Patient Education Materials on Transarterial Chemoembolization: Systematic Review." JMIR Cancer 7, no. 2 (May 7, 2021): e25357. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/25357.
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Background Thousands of web searches are performed related to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), given its palliative role in the treatment of liver cancer. Objective This study aims to assess the reliability, quality, completeness, readability, understandability, and actionability of websites that provide information on TACE for patients. Methods The five most popular keywords pertaining to TACE were searched on Google, Yahoo, and Bing. General website characteristics and the presence of Health On the Net Foundation code certification were documented. Website assessment was performed using the following scores: DISCERN, Journal of the American Medical Association, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease Score, and the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool. A novel TACE content score was generated to evaluate website completeness. Results The search yielded 3750 websites. In total, 81 website entities belonging to 78 website domains met the inclusion criteria. A medical disclaimer was not provided on 28% (22/78) of website domains. Health On the Net code certification was present on 12% (9/78) of website domains. Authorship was absent on 88% (71/81) of websites, and sources were absent on 83% (67/81) of websites. The date of publication or of the last update was not listed on 58% (47/81) of websites. The median DISCERN score was 47.0 (IQR 40.5-54.0). The median TACE content score was 35 (IQR 27-43). The median readability grade level was in the 11th grade. Overall, 61% (49/81) and 16% (13/81) of websites were deemed understandable and actionable, respectively. Not-for-profit websites fared significantly better on the Journal of the American Medical Association, DISCERN, and TACE content scores. Conclusions The content referring to TACE that is currently available on the web is unreliable, incomplete, difficult to read, understandable but not actionable, and characterized by low overall quality. Websites need to revise their content to optimally educate consumers and support shared decision-making. Trial Registration PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42020202747; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020202747
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Bojrab, Dennis I., Christian Fritz, Seilesh Babu, and Kenny F. Lin. "A Critical Analysis of the Information Available Online for Ménière’s Disease." Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery 162, no. 3 (January 28, 2020): 329–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0194599819901150.
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Objective Patients increasingly rely on online resources for medical information; however, the Internet is unregulated and prone to misinformation. This study analyzes the reliability, quality, and readability of websites for Ménière’s disease. Study Design A Google search was performed using keywords Ménière’s disease. The first 5 pages (50 results) were reviewed. Websites were sorted into 5 categories: academic institutions, government agencies, professional organizations, medical information websites, and miscellaneous. The reliability, quality, and readability of each website were evaluated using the DISCERN instrument and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL). DISCERN assesses reliability and quality by scoring 15 questions on a scale from 1 (low) to 3 (high). The reliability score emphasizes clear objectives and sources, as well as lack of bias, whereas the quality score emphasizes information on treatment options. The FKGL of each website was calculated using a formula to determine the equivalent US grade reading level. Setting Ambulatory. Subjects None. Results Forty-two websites were analyzed. Academic institutions were the most common (n = 13, 31%) but scored the lowest using DISCERN at 1.75 ± 0.13. Medical information websites scored highest at 2.24 ± 0.09 ( P = .024 compared to academic institutions). The average FKGL of all websites was 10.12 ± 0.57 with medical information websites being the easiest to read at 8.84 ± 0.83. Only 5 (13%) of websites scored below the eighth-grade reading level. Conclusions Most top online search results for Ménière’s disease are deficient in quality and readability. Medical information websites are generally the most reliable and easy to read.
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Miles, Randy C., Ana P. Lourenco, Grayson L. Baird, Ishita T. Roy, Paul H. S. Choi, Constance Lehman, and Leslie R. Lamb. "A Multimetric Evaluation of Online Patient Educational Materials for Breast Implant–associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma." Journal of Breast Imaging 3, no. 5 (August 10, 2021): 564–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jbi/wbab053.
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Abstract Objective To assess understandability, actionability, and readability of online patient educational materials (OPEM) related to breast implant–associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). Methods Search volumes for query terms related to BIA-ALCL including “breast implant associated lymphoma,” “breast implant associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma,” and “BIA-ALCL” were analyzed in one-week increments and normalized to total Google search volume. The same terms were then queried using an online search engine to identify commonly accessed OPEM on this topic. Understandability and actionability of OPEM were evaluated using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool. Grade-level readability was determined using generalized estimating equations, with observations nested within readability metrics from each website. All interval estimates were calculated for 95% confidence. Results Overall, 24 websites were identified based on search parameters. Of these websites, 11 (45.8%) met criteria for understandability, and 1 (4.2%) met criteria for actionability. Overall, readability ranged from 10.2 to 17.3 for all websites with an average grade level readability of 12.4; 0 websites were written at or below a sixth-grade reading level. Government websites had the highest average grade reading level at 14.0, followed by commercial websites at 13.2, nonprofit websites at 12.0, and then academic/hospital-based websites at 11.5. Conclusion The quality of available OPEM on BIA-ALCL is limited. Future development of OPEM should be designed with the goal of improving both comprehension and actionability to help reduce patient anxiety and unnecessary clinical appointments related to this disease.
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Zhao, Yiming, Linrong Wu, Jin Zhang, and Taowen Le. "How Question Characteristics Impact Answer Outcomes on Social Question-and-Answer Websites." Journal of Global Information Management 29, no. 6 (November 2021): 1–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/jgim.20211101.oa20.
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Inducing more and higher-quality answers to questions is essential to sustainable development of Social Question-and-Answer (SQA) websites. Previous research has studied factors affecting question success and user motivation in answering questions, but how a question’s own characteristics affect the question’s answer outcome on SQA websites remains unknown. This study examines the impact of the characteristics of a question, namely readability, emotionality, additional descriptions, and question type, on the question’s answer outcome as measured by number of answers, average answer length, and number of “likes” received by answers to the question. Regression analyses reveal that readability, additional descriptions, and question type have significant impact on multiple measurements of answer outcome, while emotionality only affects the average answer length. This study provides insights to SQA website builders as they instruct users on question construction. It also provides insights to SQA website users on how to induce more and higher-quality answers to their questions.
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Hutchings, Hayley Anne, and Anagha Remesh. "An evaluation of the readability and visual appearance of online patient resources for fibroadenoma." PLOS ONE 17, no. 11 (November 18, 2022): e0277823. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277823.
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Introduction Fibroadenomas are benign lesions found in the breast tissue. Widespread access to and use of the internet has resulted in more individuals using online resources to better understand health conditions, their prognosis and treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the readability and visual appearance of online patient resources for fibroadenoma. Methods We searched GoogleTM, BingTM and YahooTM on 6 July 2022 using the search terms “fibroadenoma”, “breast lumps”, “non-cancerous breast lumps”, “benign breast lumps” and “benign breast lesions” to identify the top ten websites that appeared on each of the search engines. We excluded advertised websites, links to individual pdf documents and links to blogs/chats. We compiled a complete list of websites identified using the three search engines and the search terms and analysed the content. We only selected pages that were relevant to fibroadenoma. We excluded pages which only contained contact details and no narrative information relating to the condition. We did not assess information where links were directed to alternative websites. We undertook a qualitative visual assessment of each of the websites using a framework of pre-determined key criteria based on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services toolkit. This involved assessing characteristics such as overall design, page layout, font size and colour. Each criterion was scored as: +1- criterion achieved; -1- criterion not achieved; and 0- no evidence, unclear or not applicable (maximum total score 43). We then assessed the readability of each website to determine the UK and US reading age using five different readability tests: Flesch Kincaid, Gunning Fog, Coleman Liau, SMOG, and the Automated Readability Index. We compared the readability scores to determine if there were any significant differences across the websites identified. We also generated scores for the Flesh Reading Ease as well as information about sentence structure (number of syllables per sentence and proportion of words with a high number of syllables) and proportion of people the text was readable to. Results We identified 39 websites for readability and visual assessment. The visual assessment scores for the 39 websites identified ranged from -19 to 31 points out of a possible score of 43. The median readability score for the identified websites was 8.58 (age 14–15), with a range of 6.69–12.22 (age 12–13 to university level). There was a statistically significant difference between the readability scores obtained across websites (p<0.001). Almost half of the websites (18/39; 46.2%) were classified as very difficult by the Flesch Reading Ease score, with only 13/39 (33.33%) classified as being fairly easy or plain English. Conclusion We found wide differences in the general appearance, layout and focus of the fibroadenoma websites identified. The readability of most of the websites was also much higher than the recommended level for the public to understand. Fibroadenoma website information needs to be simplified to reduce the use of jargon and specificity to the condition for individuals to better comprehend it. In addition, their visual appearance could be improved by changing the layout and including images and diagrams.
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Mc Carthy, Andrea, and Colm Taylor. "SUFE and the internet: are healthcare information websites accessible to parents?" BMJ Paediatrics Open 4, no. 1 (October 2020): e000782. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjpo-2020-000782.
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BackgroundSlipped upper femoral epiphysis is an adolescent hip disorder requiring rapid surgical intervention. Faced with the prospect of their child undergoing surgery, many fearful parents will turn to the internet to provide information and reassurance. Previous studies have shown the orthopaedic information can be difficult to comprehend.ObjectiveAssess the readability of healthcare websites regarding slipped upper femoral epiphysis.MethodsThe term Slipped Upper Femoral Epiphysis was searched in Google, Bing and Yahoo. The websites were evaluated using readability software with seven specialised readability tests including the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level, the Flesch Reading Ease Score, the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, Coleman-Liau Index, Automated Readability Index and the Gunning Fog Index. The reading grade level (RGL) was also calculated.A Flesich Read Ease Score (FRES) score above 65 and an RGL of sixth grade and under was considered acceptable. Websites were also assessed for translation services.Results21 unique websites were assessed. The average FRES was 52.5±15.4. Only 3 websites scored 65 or higher (14%). There was a statistically significant difference between website scores based on affiliation, with physician websites having the overall highest mean(p=0.004).The average RGL was 8.67±1.8. Only two websites met the accepted RGL criteria (9.5%) while five websites were marked as extremely difficult to understand (23.8%). Only five websites offered translations (23.8%). There was no statistically significant difference in readability scores between websites which offered translation and those which did not.One-sample t-tests showed that both the RGL (p<0.001; CI 1.83 to 3.49) and the FRES (p<0.001, CI −19.4 to −5.4) scores were significantly different from the accepted standard.ConclusionMost websites reviewed were above the recommended RGL, making content inaccessible. Improving readability and translation services would enhance the internet’s usability as a healthcare tool for parents.
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Strauss, Shira, Michael Yacob, Apoorva Bhandari, and Prasad Jetty. "Carotid Endarterectomy Versus Carotid Artery Stenting: Survey of the Quality, Readability, and Treatment Preference of Carotid Artery Disease Websites." Interactive Journal of Medical Research 9, no. 4 (November 3, 2020): e23519. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/23519.
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Background The internet is becoming increasingly more important in the new era of patient self-education. Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) are recognized interventions to treat patients with carotid artery stenosis. Using the Google search platform, patients encounter many websites with conflicting information, which are sometimes difficult to understand. This lack of accessibility creates uncertainty or bias toward interventions for carotid artery disease. The quality, readability, and treatment preference of carotid artery disease (CAD) websites have not yet been evaluated. Objective This study aimed to explore the quality, readability, and treatment preference of CAD websites. Methods We searched Google Canada for 10 CAD-related keywords. Returned links were assessed for publication date, medical specialty and industry affiliation, presence of randomized controlled trial data, differentiation by symptomatic status, and favored treatment. Website quality and readability were rated by the DISCERN instrument and Gunning Fog Index. Results We identified 54 unique sites: 18 (33.3%) by medical societies or individual physicians, 11 (20.4%) by government organizations, 9 (16.7%) by laypersons, and 1 (1.9%) that was industry-sponsored. Of these sites, 26 (48.1%) distinguished symptomatic from asymptomatic CAD. A majority of sites overall (57.4%) and vascular-affiliated (72.7%) favored CEA. In contrast, radiology- and cardiology-affiliated sites demonstrated the highest proportion of sites favoring CAS, though they were equally likely to favor CEA. A large proportion (21/54, 38.9%) of sites received poor quality ratings (total DISCERN score <48), and the majority (41/54, 75.9%) required a reading level greater than a high school senior. Conclusions CAD websites are often produced by government organizations, medical societies, or physicians, especially vascular surgeons. Sites ranged in quality, readability, and differentiation by symptomatic status. Google searches of CAD-related terms are more likely to yield sites favoring CEA. Future research should determine the extent of website influence on CAD patients’ treatment decisions.
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Shetty, Kunal Ramanand, Rita Yu Wang, Anisha Shetty, Jessica Levi, and Nicole Leigh Aaronson. "Quality of Patient Education Sections on Otitis Media Across Different Website Platforms." Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology 129, no. 6 (January 24, 2020): 591–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0003489420902183.
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Objective: To determine the quality, content, and readability of patient education materials pertaining to otitis media across several popular online platforms focused on otolaryngology and pediatric primary care education. Methods: Online patient materials related to otitis media and directed toward parents were collected from the American Association for Family Practice (AAFP), ENT-Health section of the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Healthychildren.org from the American Academy of Pediatrics, KidsHealth from Nemours, WebMD, and Wikipedia. Materials were analyzed for quality, content, and readability. The DISCERN instrument was used to score quality. A unique content score was generated based on the information provided on each website and on the medical and surgical management of otitis media. Readability scores were calculated using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease Score, Gunning-Fog Index, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, Coleman-Liau Index, and Automated Readability Index. Results: Overall, content was well-balanced. Information from AAFP and Healthychildren.org was focused more on medical management than other sources. The average DISCERN scores showed all sources to be of good quality with minimal shortcomings. The AAFP and KidsHealth websites had some readability scores around the 8th-grade reading level, the National Institute of Health’s upper limit recommended for public health information; however, most websites were above this recommended reading level. Conclusion: Patient education materials related to otitis media on academic and certain popular internet sites are good sources to obtain high-quality information on the topic. Patient educational background, prior knowledge and understanding of otitis media, and physician-patient partnership goals should be taken into account when referring patients to online materials.
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Man, Alice, and Courtney van Ballegooie. "Assessment of the Readability of Web-Based Patient Education Material From Major Canadian Pediatric Associations: Cross-sectional Study." JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting 5, no. 1 (March 16, 2022): e31820. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/31820.
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Background Web-based patient education materials (PEMs) are frequently written above the recommended reading level in North America. Poor PEM readability limits the accessibility of medical information for individuals with average literacy levels or lower. Pediatric hospital and association websites have not only been shown to be a preferred source of information among caregivers but have also become a necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The readability of Canadian pediatric association websites has not yet been assessed. Objective The aim of this study is to determine if the content of PEMs from Canadian pediatric associations is written at a reading level that the majority of Canadians can understand. Methods A total of 258 PEMs were extracted from 10 Canadian pediatric associations and evaluated for their reading level using 10 validated readability scales. The PEMs underwent a difficult word analysis and comparisons between PEMs from different associations were conducted. Results Web-based PEMs were identified from 3 pediatric association websites, where the reading level (calculated as a grade level) was found to be an average of 8.8 (SD 1.8) for the Caring for Kids website, 9.5 (SD 2.2) for the Pediatric Endocrine Group website, and 13.1 (SD 2.1) for the Atlantic Pediatric Society website. The difficult word analysis identified that 19.9% (SD 6.6%) of words were unfamiliar, with 13.3% (SD 5.3%) and 31.9% (SD 6.1%) of words being considered complex (≥3 syllables) and long (≥6 letters), respectively. Conclusions The web-based PEMs were found to be written above the recommended seventh-grade reading level for Canadians. Consideration should be made to create PEMs at an appropriate reading level for both patients and their caregivers to encourage health literacy and ultimately promote preventative health behaviors and improve child health outcomes.
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Ozduran, Erkan, and Sibel Büyükçoban. "Evaluating the readability, quality and reliability of online patient education materials on post-covid pain." PeerJ 10 (July 20, 2022): e13686. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13686.
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Background The use of the Internet to access healthcare-related information is increasing day by day. However, there are concerns regarding the reliability and comprehensibility of this information. This study aimed to investigate the readability, reliability, and quality of Internet-based patient educational materials (PEM) related to “post-COVID-19 pain.” Methods One-hundred websites that fit the purposes of the study were identified by searching for the terms “post-COVID-19 pain” and “pain after COVID-19” using the Google search engine on February 24, 2022. The website readability was assessed using the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), and Gunning FOG (GFOG). The reliability, quality, and popularity of the websites were assessed using the JAMA score, DISCERN score/Health on the Net Foundation code of conduct, and Alexa, respectively. Results Upon investigation of the textual contents, the mean FRES was 51.40 ± 10.65 (difficult), the mean FKGL and SMOG were 10.93 ± 2.17 and 9.83 ± 1.66 years, respectively, and the mean GFOG was 13.14 ± 2.16 (very difficult). Furthermore, 24.5% of the websites were highly reliable according to JAMA scores, 8% were of high quality according to GQS values, and 10% were HONcode-compliant. There was a statistically significant difference between the website types and reliability (p = 0.003) and quality scores (p = 0.002). Conclusion The readability level of PEM on post-COVID-19 pain was considerably higher than grade 6 educational level, as recommended by the National Institutes of Health, and had low reliability and poor quality. We suggest that Internet-based PEM should have a certain degree of readability that is in accordance with the educational level of the general public and feature reliable content.
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Sofie, Sofie, and Niza Ayuningtias. "ANALISIS KUALITAS TERJEMAHAN PADA LAMAN WEB KBRI BEIJING." Bahtera: Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa dan Sastra 22, no. 1 (January 8, 2023): 90–101. http://dx.doi.org/10.21009/bahtera.221.09.
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This study aims to evaluate the accuracy of the Indonesian to Mandarin translation of a web page from the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing. The Nababan translation quality evaluation methodology, which was used in this study, divides translation product quality into three categories: accuracy, acceptability, and readability. This study has two objectives: 1) to analyze the level of accuracy, acceptability and readability of the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing's website and 2) to describe the quality of the translation of the Indonesian Embassy's website in Beijing. The text, which was broken up into 37 pieces of data, was sent to a competent rater to evaluate. The results revealed that the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing's website translation was of lower accuracy, acceptable quality, and had a moderate degree of readability, scoring an overall 2.48 out of 3 for correctness, acceptability, and readability. Although there are certain terms in the target text that require more than one reading to fully get the meaning, the target text is widely accepted and fairly simple for readers who are native speakers of it. It can be concluded that the content of the source text is not conveyed accurately to the target text
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Gupta, Amar, Hani Rayess, Kevin Black, Michael Carron, and Michael Nissan. "Otoplasty Online Information: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Websites and Videos that Patients View Regarding Cosmetic Ear Surgery." Facial Plastic Surgery 34, no. 01 (December 26, 2017): 082–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0037-1615280.
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AbstractPhysicians should be aware of both websites and videos available online regarding the otoplasty procedure to provide quality care. This study systematically analyzes the authorships, reliability, quality, and readability of the websites, as well as the authorships and primary objectives of the videos regarding otoplasty. Validated instruments were used to analyze the reliability, quality, and readability of websites, and videos were systematically categorized and analyzed. A Google search was conducted, and the first five pages of results were included in this study. After excluding unrelated websites, the remaining 44 websites were categorized by authorship (physician, patient, academic, or unaffiliated) and were analyzed using the validated DISCERN instrument for reliability and quality, as well as various other validated instruments to measure readability. A YouTube search was also conducted, and the first 50 relevant videos were included in the study. These videos were categorized by authorship and their primary objective. Website authorships were physician-dominated. Reliability, quality, and overall DISCERN score differ between the four authorship groups by a statistically significant margin (Kruskall–Wallis test, p < 0.05). Unaffiliated websites were the most reliable, and physician websites were the least reliable. Academic websites were of the highest quality, and patient websites were of the lowest quality. Readability did not differ significantly between the groups, though the readability measurements made showed a general lack of material easily readable by the general public. YouTube was likewise dominated by physician-authored videos. While the physician-authored videos sought mainly to inform and to advertise, patient-authored videos sought mainly to provide the patient's perspective. Academic organizations showed very little representation on YouTube, and the YouTube views on otoplasty videos were dominated by the top 20 videos, which represented over 93% of the total views of videos included in this study.
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Aaronson, Nicole Leigh, Johnathan Edward Castaño, Jeffrey P. Simons, and Noel Jabbour. "Quality, Readability, and Trends for Websites on Ankyloglossia." Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology 127, no. 7 (May 18, 2018): 439–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0003489418776343.
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Objective: This study evaluates the quality and readability of websites on ankyloglossia, tongue tie, and frenulectomy. Methods: Google was queried with six search terms: tongue tie, tongue tie and breastfeeding, tongue tie and frenulectomy, ankyloglossia, ankyloglossia and breastfeeding, and ankyloglossia and frenulectomy. Website quality was assessed using the DISCERN instrument. Readability was evaluated using the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease Score, and Fry readability formula. Correlations were calculated. Search terms were analyzed for frequency using Google Trends and the NCBI database. Results: Of the maximum of 80, average DISCERN score for the websites was 65.7 (SD = 9.1, median = 65). Mean score for the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level was 11.6 (SD = 3.0, median = 10.7). Two websites (10%) were in the optimal range of 6 to 8. Google Trends shows tongue tie searches increasing in frequency, although the NCBI database showed a decreased in tongue tie articles. Conclusions: Most of the websites on ankyloglossia were of good quality; however, a majority were above the recommended reading level for public health information. Parents increasingly seek information on ankyloglossia online, while fewer investigators are publishing articles on this topic.
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Heady, Sarah C., Marissa A. Weaver, Gina M. Berg, Emily M. Manlove, Jennifer E. Thuener, and Douglas C. Burton. "Evaluation of Online Consumer Health Information for Idiopathic Scoliosis Identified by a Google Search." Kansas Journal of Medicine 11, no. 4 (November 1, 2018): 95–101. http://dx.doi.org/10.17161/kjm.v11i4.8705.
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Introduction. This study sought to assess the quality of online consumerhealth information about idiopathic scoliosis. Previous studiesshowed that quality of online health information varies and oftenlacks adherence to expert recommendations and guidelines. Nevertheless,72% of internet users seek health information online. A 2005analysis of online scoliosis information found that the informationwas limited and of poor quality.
Methods. Two reviewers vetted the top 10 websites resulting from aGoogleTM search for “scoliosis.” Content was organized into categoriesand rated by three physician evaluators using a 1 - 5 scale basedon quality, accuracy, completeness of information, readability, andwillingness to recommend. Additional information, such as numberof ads and Flesch-Kinkaid reading level, also was collected.
Results. The average overall physician score was 47.6 (75 possible).All websites included content that was mostly accurate but varied incompleteness. Physicians unanimously recommended Mayo Clinic,MedicineNet, and Kids Health; none recommended the GoogleTMKnowledge Graph. The Scoliosis Research Society website reachedthe highest overall physician score. Readability ranged from 7th gradeto college level; only that of Kids Health was below 10th grade level.
Conclusions. Most essential information provided by the websiteswas accurate and generally well rated by physicians. Website rankingby physicians was inconsistent with the ranking order by GoogleTM,indicating that health seekers reviewing the top GoogleTM-rankedwebsites may not be viewing the websites rated highest by physicians.Physicians should consider patient literacy in website recommendations,as many have an above average literacy level.Kans J Med 2018;11(4):95-101.
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Gulbrandsen, Trevor Robert, Mary Kate Skalitzky, Alan Gregory Shamrock, Burke Gao, Obada Hasan, and Benjamin James Miller. "Web-Based Patient Educational Material on Osteosarcoma: Quantitative Assessment of Readability and Understandability." JMIR Cancer 8, no. 1 (March 24, 2022): e25005. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/25005.
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Background Patients 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. Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate web-based osteosarcoma resources using measures of readability, understandability, and actionability. Methods Using 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. Results Two 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. Conclusions Overall, 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.
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Chen, Jason I., Ginnifer L. Mastarone, Santisia A. Ambrosino, Nicole Anzalone, Kathleen F. Carlson, Steven K. Dobscha, and Alan R. Teo. "Evaluation of the Safety and Design of Community Internet Resources for Veteran Suicide Prevention." Crisis 40, no. 5 (September 2019): 347–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1027/0227-5910/a000590.
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Abstract. Background: Recent data show many veterans who die by suicide are not currently engaged in mental health care. Veterans frequently use the Internet for health information and may look online for community resources when in distress. However, little is known about their design characteristics. Aim: To evaluate the design and content of community, veteran suicide prevention websites. Method: Community websites focused on veteran suicide prevention were gathered through Internet searches using standardized search terms. Websites that met the inclusion criteria ( n = 9) were evaluated for adherence to suicide safe messaging, usability, readability, and credibility heuristics. Interrater reliability was evaluated using kappa statistics. Descriptive statistics were used to describe website features. Results: Community websites tended to provide help-seeking information, safe messaging, and community activities. However, no websites provided information on lethal means safety or references to signal credibility. Limitations: The sample was small and only included English-language websites, and focused on veteran-oriented, community websites. Conclusion: Community suicide prevention websites focused on veterans could be improved through increased readability, credibility, and provision of lethal means safety information.
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Shamrock, Alan G., Burke Gao, Trevor Gulbrandsen, John E. Femino, Cesar de Cesar Netto, and Kyle R. Duchman. "Total Ankle Arthroplasty: Can Patients Read, Understand, and Act on Online Educational Resources?" Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics 5, no. 4 (October 1, 2020): 2473011420S0008. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2473011420s00082.
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Category: Ankle Arthritis; Ankle Introduction/Purpose: Patients often access online resources to learn about orthopedic procedures prior to undergoing elective surgery. In order to be fully understood by the average English-speaking adult, online health information must be written at an elementary school reading level. To be helpful to patients, educational resources should also be generally understandable and have actionable direction that positively affects their healthcare interactions. There are several previously validated indices for accessing the reading level of written materials. The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) provides a reliable and validated method to measure the understandability and actionability of education materials. The purpose of this study was to utilize PEMAT and readability algorithms to quantify readability, understandability and actionability of online patient education materials related to total ankle arthroplasty (TAA). Methods: Online patient education materials were identified using two independently conducted Google engine searches with the term ‘ankle replacement’. Using the top 50 search results, articles were included if they specifically served to educate patients regarding TAA. Exclusion criteria included news articles, non-text materials (video), research manuscripts, industry websites, and articles not related to TAA. The readability of included articles was quantified using the validated Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level index. The PEMAT form (Figure 1) for printed materials was used to assess understandability and actionability using a 0-100 scale for both measures of interest. Spearman’s correlation coefficient was utilized to examine the relationship between a website’s average rank on Google (from first to last) and its readability, understandability, and actionability. P-values of less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: Forty-one websites met inclusion criteria. The mean Flesch Kincaid reading grade level was 13.7+-15.3 (range: 6.3-16.8), with no website written at an elementary school level. Article readability scores were not associated with Google search rank (p>0.301). Mean understandability and actionability scores were 70.4+-15.3 and 24.4+-24.3, respectively. Among understandability categories, only 9.8% (n=4) included summaries and only 46.3% (n=19) included visual aids. Among actionability categories, 58.5% (n=24) of websites identified at least one action for readers, but only 16.7% (n=4) of these studies broke down actions into explicit, easy to understand steps. Higher actionability scores were significantly associated with earlier Google search rank (rho:- 0.44, p=0.004), while higher understandability scores were associated with later Google search rank (rho: 0.53, p<0.001). Conclusion: No website describing TAA was written at or below the nationally recommended 6th grade reading level. Overall, TAA online educational materials scored poorly with respect to readability, understandability, and actionability. Article actionability but not understandability correlated with an earlier Google search rank. In the era of shared decision making, it is vital that patients understand procedures, as well as the risks and benefits prior to undergoing elective surgery. These results suggest that current publicly available resources for TAA remain inadequate for patient education.
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Gao, Burke, Alan G. Shamrock, Trevor Gulbrandsen, John E. Femino, Cesar de Cesar Netto, and Kyle R. Duchman. "Achilles Tendon Repair: Can Patients Read, Understand, and Act on Online Educational Resources?" Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics 5, no. 4 (October 1, 2020): 2473011420S0022. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2473011420s00224.
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Category: Sports; Trauma Introduction/Purpose: Patients often access online resources to learn about orthopedic procedures prior to undergoing elective surgery. In order to be fully understood by the average English-speaking adult, online health information must be written at an elementary school reading level. To be helpful to patients, educational resources should also be generally understandable and have actionable direction that positively affects healthcare interactions. There are several previously validated indices for accessing the reading level of written materials. The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) provides a reliable and validated method to measure the understandability and actionability of education materials. The purpose of this study was to utilize PEMAT and readability algorithms to quantify readability, understandability and actionability of online patient education materials related to Achilles tendon repair. Methods: Online patient education materials were identified using two independently conducted Google engine searches with the term ‘Achilles tendon repair’. Using the top 50 search results, articles were included if they specifically served to educate patients regarding TAA. Exclusion criteria included news articles, non-text materials (video), research manuscripts, industry websites, and articles not related to Achilles tendon repair. The readability of included articles was quantified using the validated Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level index. The PEMAT form for printed materials was used to assess understandability and actionability using a 0-100 scale for both measures of interest. Spearman’s correlation coefficient was utilized to examine the relationship between a website’s average rank on Google (from first to last) and its readability, understandability, and actionability. P-values of less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: Thirty-one websites met inclusion criteria. The mean Flesch Kincaid reading grade level was 10.8+-2.9, with only one website written below the 6th grade reading level. Higher Flesch-Kincaid grade was associated with later Google seach rank (rho: 0.488, p=0.010). Mean understandability and actionability scores were 67.1+-16.4% and 38.3+-28.4%, respectively. Among understandability criteria, only 12.9% (n=4) of articles included summaries and just 38.7% (n=12) included visual aids. Among actionability categories, 74% (n=23) of websites identified at least one action for readers, while only 60.8% (n=14) of these studies broke down actions into explicit, easy to understand steps. Actionability scores were not correlated with Google search rank (rho: -0.02, p=0.888), while higher understandability scores were associated with later Google search rank (rho: 0.45, p=0.017). Conclusion: Only one website describing Achilles tendon repair was written at or below the nationally recommended 6th grade reading level. Overall, Achilles tendon repair online educational materials scored poorly with respect to readability, understandability, and actionability. Articles that appeared earlier in the Google search had lower readability and understandability scores. In the era of shared decision making, it is vital that patients understand procedures, as well as the risks and benefits prior to undergoing elective surgery. These results suggest that current publicly available resources for Achilles tendon repair remain inadequate for patient education.
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Jain, Neha, Vandana Ahuja, and Y. Medury. "Internet Marketing and Consumers Online." International Journal of Online Marketing 2, no. 3 (July 2012): 70–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/ijom.2012070105.
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The internet plays two important roles in marketing-influencing consumer behavior and harnessing consumer intelligence. While its vital for organizations to evaluate consumer intentions and provide consumers the necessary information they are looking for, equally important is the need for collecting consumer data by studying the consumer behavioral patterns on the internet and subsequently nurturing long term relationships with consumers. This study aims at identifying the dimensions of website attributes that represent intentions of consumers for visiting product and brand websites and examines the relationship between various website attributes, with respect to the function performed by the attribute. The methods on how the results were obtained and used will be explored further in this article. This research will be further used for analyzing website attributes with respect to Web Traffic, Website Reputation, Alexa Reach & Readability.
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Mehta, Neil, Amar Gupta, and Michael Nissan. "All I Have Learned, I Have Learned from Google: Why Today's Facial Rejuvenation Patients are Prone to Misinformation, and the Steps We can take to Contend with Unreliable Information." Facial Plastic Surgery 35, no. 04 (August 2019): 387–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0039-1693033.
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AbstractA growing number of patients are seeking answers for their health concerns online. This study assesses the reliability, quality, and readability of online materials patients have access to through the Internet and evaluates the social media presence of information providers. An online search was conducted for facial rejuvenation by utilizing three ubiquitously used web search engines: Google, Bing, and Yahoo. The first 25 result pages were collected from each search engine, and exclusionary criteria were applied to exclude online stores and advertisements. Website reliability and quality were assessed via the DISCERN method. Readability was measured through six measurements: Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Gunning Fox score, SMOG index, Coleman Liau index, and automated readability index. Social media presence and profile followers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram were determined to gauge social media presence. Exclusionary criteria yielded 41 unique websites, with the majority of websites authored by physicians (54%) followed by professional organizations (19%). The DISCERN method demonstrated that journal websites yielded the highest overall quality (4.00) and physician websites yielded the lowest (2.72). Readability analysis demonstrated that online forums proved the most challenging to read, and encyclopedia articles were the least challenging. Physician websites maintained the highest social media presence (95%) followed by professional organizations (75%). However, professional organizations had more social media followers in comparison to physician websites. Physician websites and professional organizations overwhelmingly command social media presence compared to other information providers and provide information with serious deficits in reliability and quality. A strong majority of online information also surpasses the health care literacy of patients. This poses a serious concern for physicians who need to provide and guide patients to high quality and reliable information.
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Akram, Zain, and Malik Adeel Anwar. "Quality and Readability of Online Information Available for the General Public on Orofacial Granulomatosis." Journal of the Pakistan Dental Association 30, no. 04 (December 19, 2021): 267–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.25301/jpda.304.267.
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OBJECTIVE: Orofacial granulomatosis (OFG) is a relatively rare entity. The information pertaining to it is accessible to patients and care-givers on the internet in a scarce quantity. The aims of the current study were to evaluate quality, readability, understandability and actionability of information regarding the disease-orofacial granulomatosis-available to the public on the internet. The purpose of the study was to evaluate ease of access and understandability of language available for individuals affected by OFG. Although the incidence of the disease is very low in Pakistan, patients with symptoms of OFG rarely report to clinics due to social stigma. METHODOLOGY: A vivid selection process was chosen for the study. The study was conducted online on 'google scholar' website. Four different search terms were used 'ofg disease', 'orofacial granulomatosis', 'cheilitis granulomatosa' and 'Melkersson Rosenthal Syndrome' to seek information on orofacial granulomatosis. All of this was done during July, 2020 to October 2020. The first 100 results from each term were shortlisted and evaluated further. Exclusion criteria was used and several repetitive sites, non-functional links, sites containing content irrelevant to the search were excluded. This resulted in 58 websites relevant to the search that were then categorized according to affiliation, specialisation, content type as well as content presentation. Three grading assessments were utilized to assess the quality of this online information; the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks, the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Printable Materials (PEMAT-P) and the presence of Health on the Net (HON) seal. In order to assess the readability of the content in the websites, the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES) and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) were used. RESULTS: The overall quality of online information on orofacial granulomatosis is difficult to comprehend and act upon as assessed by the PEMAT. The HON seal was visible on only 5 (9%) websites. In terms of readability, only one (2%) website was fairly easy to read. CONCLUSIONS: The online information on orofacial granulomatosis is qualitatively poor and does not serve its purpose in true sense. There is a need to devise better, high quality online readable information for patients and the public to understand. KEY WORDS: Orofacial granulomatosis, cheilitis granulomatosa, PEMAT.
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Antonarakis, Gregory Stylianos, and Stavros Kiliaridis. "Internet-Derived Information on Cleft Lip and Palate for Families with Affected Children." Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal 46, no. 1 (January 2009): 75–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1597/07-206.1.
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Objective: To investigate the nature and readability of cleft lip and palate–related family information on the Internet. Materials and Methods: An Internet search for “cleft lip,” “cleft palate,” and “family information” was carried out using three search engines. Within each search, the first 25 relevant websites identified were downloaded and assessed for country of origin, authorship, domain, referencing, links, advertising, mention of orthodontics, illustrations, cleft-specificity, and content. Readability was determined using the Flesch Reading Ease Score, the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, and the Fog Scale Level. Data were analyzed by simple descriptive statistics. Results: The initial search returned in excess of 1,800,000 hits. A total of 49 websites were evaluated, excluding repetitions, with a wide range of information available. The websites assessed were mostly of U.S. origin, with a .org domain, authored by universities/hospitals, not cleft-specific, without advertisements, contained links but not references, mentioned orthodontics even if to a small extent, contained some form of illustrations, and varied greatly in quantity and quality of information presented. A wide range of readability scores was obtained, equating to reading ages from fourth grade to university graduate level, with a mean reading age at the eighth to ninth grade level. Conclusions: Cleft lip and palate–related information for families on the Internet is variable in content, quality, and readability. Clinicians should have the responsibility to guide and help parents with website retrieval, while authors of websites should aim to keep information readable and relevant to family demands.
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Key, Sefa, Mustafa Yalın, and Mehmet Erten. "Growing Taller without Hormones? Dr. Consult Google—An Evaluation of Online Information Related to Limb Lengthening." Healthcare 11, no. 2 (January 6, 2023): 172. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11020172.
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Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability, content and readability of the information available on the Internet related to limb lengthening surgeries, which have recently been progressively in fashion. Methods: The three most commonly used browsers on the Internet were determined and a search term for “Limb Lengthening Surgery” was typed for each browser. The websites were categorized by their type, and the content and the quality of them was evaluated using the DISCERN score, the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark and the Global Quality Score (GQS). The Flesch Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) and the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FKRS) were used to evaluate the readability. Each website also assessed the presence (or absence) of the Health on Net (HON) code. Results: The academic category was found to be significantly higher than the medical and commercial categories. Mean FKGL and FCRS scores, DISCERN score values, JAMA, GQS and LLCS score values of Websites with HON code were significantly higher than those without. Conclusions: The quality of online information related to limb lengthening was of low quality. Although some websites, especially academic resources, were of higher quality, the readability of their content is just about 2.5 degrees higher than the sixth-grade reading level.
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Manchaiah, Vinaya, Rebecca J. Kelly-Campbell, Monica L. Bellon-Harn, and Eldré W. Beukes. "Quality, Readability, and Suitability of Hearing Health-Related Materials: A Descriptive Review." American Journal of Audiology 29, no. 3 (September 3, 2020): 513–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1044/2020_aja-19-00040.
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Objectives The objective of this descriptive review was to determine the quality, readability, and suitability of ear and hearing health information and materials for patients and their significant others. Method A literature search was conducted between August 2018 and April 2019 in the databases CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, and PsychInfo. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to shortlist studies. Data regarding quality, suitability, and readability were extracted from the included studies. Data were assessed qualitatively. Results There were 34 studies included in this review. Of those, eight examined quality, 33 assessed readability, and four investigated the suitability of materials. The range of materials assessed included diagnostic reports, patient education materials (PEMs), patient-reported outcome measures, and websites. Quality elements were examined in studies focusing on website information. Findings indicated that most websites were of poor quality. Suitability was examined in studies focusing on PEMs such as hearing aid user guides. Findings indicated that most of the existing materials were not suitable for the intended populations. The reading grade level of information across all four categories was found to be higher than the recommended fifth or sixth reading grade level for health-related materials. Revisions of some diagnostic reports and PEMs showed that improvements are possible. Conclusions This review suggests that ear- and hearing-related materials generally have lower quality and suitability with higher readability (more difficult to read). Development of materials that are suitable, of high quality, and at the appropriate readability levels is required to improve accessibility of ear- and hearing-related materials.
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Breakey, Vicky R., Lauren Harris, G. Omar Davis, Arnav Agarwal, Carley Ouellette, Elizabeth M. Akinnawo, and Jennifer N. Stinson. "The Quality, Content, Accuracy and Readability of Information about Sickle Cell Anemia on the Internet." Blood 126, no. 23 (December 3, 2015): 4462. http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood.v126.23.4462.4462.
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Abstract Objective: A comprehensive website review was conducted to assess the quality, content and readability of online information for teens with sickle cell anemia (SCA). Methods. Key words relevant to SCA were searched across the five most commonly used search engine domains. Websites that contained information about the diagnosis and management of SCA were reviewed. Quality of the information was appraised using the validated DISCERN tool. Two physicians rated website content completeness and accuracy independently. Readability of the sites was documented using SMOG scores and the Flesch Reading ease scoring system. Results. Search results yielded more than 600 sites of which 25 websites met the criteria for DISCERN quality review. The majority of sites targeted parents and only 5/25 (20%) were specific to teens with SCA. The overall quality of the website information was "fair", with the average DISCERN quality rating score being 50.1 (± 9.3, range 31.0-67.5). Only 12/25(48%)of the websites had DISCERN scores above 50 (mean 57.37 + 4.93, range 52.17-67.50). The average completeness score of the sites was 20 out of 29 (±5; range 12-27) and accuracy was consistently rated 4/4, indicating high accuracy with moderate completeness. The average SMOG score was 12.44 (±2.01; range 10.21-16.08), and the mean Flesch Reading Ease score was 46.45 (±13.22; range 17.50-66.10) indicating that the material was written well above the acceptable level for patient education materials. Conclusion. Given the paucity of high quality Internet health information at an appropriate reading level for teens with SCA, there is a critical need for the development of Internet programs to meet their unique self-management needs. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
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Gale, Jonathan James, Kameron Collin Black, Joshua David Calvano, Edwin Lauritz Fundingsland Jr, Deborah Lai, Sara Silacci, and Shuhan He. "An Analysis of US Academic Medical Center Websites: Usability Study." Journal of Medical Internet Research 23, no. 12 (December 21, 2021): e27750. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/27750.
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Background Health care organizations are tasked with providing web-based health resources and information. Usability refers to the ease of user experience on a website. In this study, we conducted a usability analysis of academic medical centers in the United States, which, to the best of our knowledge, has not been previously carried out. Objective The primary aims of the study were to the following: (1) adapt a preexisting usability scoring methodology to academic medical centers; (2) apply and test this methodology on a sample set of academic medical center websites; and (3) make recommendations from these results on potential areas of improvements for our sample of academic medical center websites. Methods All website usability testing took place from June 1, 2020, to December 15, 2020. We replicated a methodology developed in previous literature and applied it to academic medical centers. Our sample included 73 US academic medical centers. Usability was split into four broad categories: accessibility (the ability of those with low levels of computer literacy to access and navigate the hospital’s website); marketing (the ability of websites to be found through search engines and the relevance of descriptions to the links provided); content quality (grammar, frequency of information updates, material relevancy, and readability); and technology (download speed, quality of the programming code, and website infrastructure). Using these tools, we scored each website in each category. The composite of key factors in each category contributed to an overall “general usability” score for each website. An overall score was then calculated by applying a weighted percentage across all factors and was used for the final “overall usability” ranking. Results The category with the highest average score was technology, with a 0.82 (SD 0.068, SE 0.008). The lowest-performing category was content quality, with an average of 0.22 (SD 0.069, SE 0.008). As these numbers reflect weighted percentages as an integer, the higher the score, the greater the overall usability in that category. Conclusions Our data suggest that technology, on average, was the highest-scored variable among academic medical center websites. Because website functionality is essential to a user’s experience, it is justified that academic medical centers invest in optimal website performance. The overall lowest-scored variable was content quality. A potential reason for this may be that academic medical center websites are usually larger in size, making it difficult to monitor the increased quantity of content. An easy way to improve this variable is to conduct more frequent website audits to assess readability, grammar, and relevance. Marketing is another area in which these organizations have potential for improvement. Our recommendation is that organizations utilize search engine optimization techniques to improve their online visibility and discoverability.
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Kapoor, Karan, Praveen George, Matthew C. Evans, Weldon J. Miller, and Stanley S. Liu. "Health Literacy: Readability of ACC/AHA Online Patient Education Material." Cardiology 138, no. 1 (2017): 36–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000475881.
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Objectives: To determine whether the online patient education material offered by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) is written at a higher level than the 6th-7th grade level recommended by the National Institute of Health (NIH). Methods: Online patient education material from each website was subjected to reading grade level (RGL) analysis using the Readability Studio Professional Edition. One-sample t testing was used to compare the mean RGLs obtained from 8 formulas to the NIH-recommended 6.5 grade level and 8th grade national mean. Results: In total, 372 articles from the ACC website and 82 from the AHA were studied. Mean (±SD) RGLs for the 454 articles were 9.6 ± 2.1, 11.2 ± 2.1, 11.9 ± 1.6, 10.8 ± 1.6, 9.7 ± 2.1, 10.8 ± 0.8, 10.5 ± 2.6, and 11.7 ± 3.5 according to the Flesch-Kincaid grade level (FKGL), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG Index), Coleman-Liau Index (CLI), Gunning-Fog Index (GFI), New Dale-Chall reading level formula (NDC), FORCAST, Raygor Readability Estimate (RRE), and Fry Graph (Fry), respectively. All analyzed articles had significantly higher RGLs than both the NIH-recommended grade level of 6.5 and the national mean grade level of 8 (p < 0.00625). Conclusions: Patient education material provided on the ACC and AHA websites is written above the NIH-recommended 6.5 grade level and 8th grade national mean reading level. Additional studies are required to demonstrate whether lowering the RGL of this material improves outcomes among patients with cardiovascular disease.
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Akgül, Yakup. "The Accessibility, Usability, Quality and Readability of Turkish State and Local Government Websites an Exploratory Study." International Journal of Electronic Government Research 15, no. 1 (January 2019): 62–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/ijegr.2019010105.
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With significant development in Internet technology contributing to daily lives in nearly every aspect, it is important that government websites and e-government services offered through them are used effectively, efficiently, and satisfactorily. Achieving accessible, usable, qualified, and readable e-government services that enable citizens to fulfill different users' requirements by everyone involved in the target group, implying a lack of equality between disabled and non-disabled people in benefiting from online governmental services regardless of time and location constraints, has become a global aim. This study investigated whether the websites of the state and local level e-government in the Turkish Republic comply with prevailing standards of accessibility, heuristic usability, mobile readiness, performance and, the readability of website content with six different indices and whether these qualities depend on the type of the government websites. After examining 77 state and 247 local e-government sites, the results indicate that the Turkish government websites have made many of the accessibility, usability, quality, and readability mistakes as predicted. In light of the study findings, this paper will present some recommendations for improving Turkish government websites, as well as discuss future implications.
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Chao, Simon, and Christopher M. Bono. "Readability of the Patient Education Section of the NASS Website." Spine Journal 10, no. 9 (September 2010): S107. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2010.07.283.
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Bluman, Eric M., Ryan P. Foley, and Christopher P. Chiodo. "Readability of the Patient Education Section of the AOFAS Website." Foot & Ankle International 30, no. 4 (April 2009): 287–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.3113/fai.2009.0287.
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