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A comparison of readability of educational materials for patients with multiple sclerosis: an internatonal perspective.

Authors: Mandysová Petra

Year: 2015

Type of publication: ostatní - přednáška nebo poster

Page from-to: nestránkováno

Titles:

Language	Name	Abstract	Keywords
eng	A comparison of readability of educational materials for patients with multiple sclerosis: an internatonal perspective.	Objectives: The aim was to assess readability of English-language patient EM on MS available on the internet through national MS organizations in the United States, Great Britain, Australia, India, and Canada, using two readability formulas displayed in Microsoft Word documents: the Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL). A related aim was to compare and interpret the results for these five EM. Methodology: Patient EM were accessed and excerpts from the introductory sections were selected. Readability was calculated using the FRE and the FKGL. Results: As for the American excerpt, the FRE score was 54.1 and the FKGL was 8.7. As for the British excerpt, the FRE score was 58.9 and the FKGL was 9.4. The Indian excerpt had the following result: the FRE score was 45.7 and the FKGL was 11.0. The Australian excerpt had the following result: the FRE score was 49.5 and the FKGL was 11.7. The Canadian excerpt consisted of 28 sentences (606 words); average sentence length was 21.6 words and average word length was 4.9 characters. The FRE score was 41.1 and the FKGL was 12.7. Conclusions: The American EM had the most favorable readability based on the FKGL; it was written at a 9th-grade reading level. This is still too high to meet the needs of the general American population: the National Institutes of Health recommend that patient EM be written at a 4th- to 6th-grade level. The Canadian EM was the most difficult (written at a 13th-grade level); it also had the lowest FRE score. The British EM had the highest FRE score. Overall, excerpts with a shorter average sentence length produced the best readability. Simplifying patient EM is an important goal faced by nurses.	assessment; comprehensibility; educational materials; Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level; Flesch Reading Ease; internet; multiple sclerosis; readability