Readability of HIV/AIDS educational materials targeting African Americans

Rates of HIV/AIDS infection continue to rise among African Americans in the United States, resulting in a national heightened awareness by the CDC to better address the prevention needs of this population. A successful tried and true health education method to address knowledge and awareness among populations is the use of educational materials such as brochures, handouts, and flyers. In addition, those persons with higher health literacy often have greater levels of knowledge relative to HIV/AIDS. Despite recommendations that educational materials should be written at the 5th to 8th grade level, other studies have found that in general health educational materials, including those for HIV/AIDS, are generally written at a grade level that is higher than the reading level of the target population. The purpose of the study was to review the readability of HIV/AIDS educational materials targeting African Americans. To do this, materials were gathered from a variety of sources. The readability of each item was determined by calculating the reading level using the SMOG technique. Univariate analyses were conducted to determine the mean and range of reading level of these materials. The authors will present the results of these analyses. Recommendations for addressing the readability of HIV/AIDS educational materials targeting African Americans will be presented and discussed. Strategies for addressing issues related to readability will also be identified and discussed. A supplemental summary will not be included.