Readability of online patient education materials for velopharyngeal insufficiency
Document Type
Article
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the readability of online and mobile application health information about velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). METHODS: Top website and mobile application results for search terms "velopharyngeal insufficiency", "velopharyngeal dysfunction", "VPI", and "VPD" were analyzed. Readability was determined using 10 algorithms with Readability Studio Professional Edition (Oleander Software Ltd; Vandalia, OH). Subgroup analysis was performed based on search term and article source - academic hospital, general online resource, peer-reviewed journal, or professional organization. RESULTS: 18 unique articles were identified. Overall mean reading grade level was a 12.89 ± 2.9. The highest reading level among these articles was 15.47-approximately the level of a college senior. Articles from "velopharyngeal dysfunction" had the highest mean reading level (13.73 ± 2.11), above "velopharyngeal insufficiency" (12.30 ± 1.56) and "VPI" (11.66 ± 1.70). Articles from peer-reviewed journals had the highest mean reading level (15.35 ± 2.79), while articles from academic hospitals had the lowest (12.81 ± 1.66). There were statistically significant differences in reading levels between the different search terms (P < 0.01) and article source types (P < 0.05). Only one mobile application was identified with VPI information, with a readability of 10.68. CONCLUSION: Despite published reading level guidelines, online patient education materials for VPI are disseminated with language too complex for most readers. There is also a lack of VPI-related mobile application data available for patients. Patients will benefit if future updates to websites and disseminated patient information are undertaken with health literacy in mind. Future studies will investigate patient comprehension of these materials.
Medical Subject Headings
Health Literacy (methods, statistics & numerical data); Humans; Internet; Mobile Applications; Patient Education as Topic (methods, statistics & numerical data); Reading; Velopharyngeal Insufficiency (therapy)
Publication Date
1-1-2018
Publication Title
International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology
E-ISSN
1872-8464
Volume
104
First Page
113
Last Page
119
PubMed ID
29287850
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1016/j.ijporl.2017.09.016
Recommended Citation
Xie, Deborah X.; Wang, Ray Y.; and Chinnadurai, Sivakumar, "Readability of online patient education materials for velopharyngeal insufficiency" (2018). ENT and Skull Base Surgery. 42.
https://scholar.barrowneuro.org/ent-and-skull-base-surgery/42