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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Jose L. Calderon, MD, Biomedical Research Center-RCMI, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, 1731 E. 120th Street, MP-30, Los Angeles, CA 90059, 323-563-4966, jocalder@cdrewu.edu, Ron D. Hays, PhD, Medicine, Univeristy of California, Los Angles, 911 Broxton Plaza, Box 951736, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1736, and Richard S. Baker, MD, Biomedical Research Center-RCMI, Charles R. Drew Universityof Medicine and Science, 1731 E. 120th Street, MP 30, Los Angeles, CA 90059.
Background: Written health information is a cornerstone of primary and secondary disease prevention efforts but most Americans lack the literacy skills to comprehend this information. We investigate the readability of documents available to Latino and African Americans with primary grade level literacy skills (< 5 grade) accessing healthcare from a safety-net public hospital. Methods: Fifteen documents (English and Spanish versions) representing clinical, research, hospital and Internet patient information were assessed using reading grade level and reading ease measures. Results are compared to readability of medical journals, popular press, and children’s books (difficult, average and easy readability). Results: One of 30 documents studied had a readability matching primary grade level literacy skills. Mean reading grade level difficulty, range 10-13, and mean reading ease, range 15-68 (>80 for primary grades), exceeded primary grade level in all categories (see tables below). The readability of corresponding English and Spanish versions was similar and those of consents were not different from that of medical journals. Conclusions: According to the Hospital and the Research Bill of Rights people have “the right to be informed.” Contrary to the ethics and edicts for practicing medicine, information provided at the public hospital studied here is too difficult for it’s vulnerable patients and the average American to understand. This represents a barrier to communication that may result in non-compliance, difficulties with self-care, patient harm and contribute to disparities in health for vulnerable populations. Patient information targeting vulnerable ethnic/racial minorities should be written at a grade level compatible with children’s books.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Health Education Strategies, Patient Education
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.