Prieto JM, West-Santos C, Montgomery AS, Patwardhan U, Lazar DA, Thangarajah H, Bickler SW, Huang EY, Fairbanks TJ, Ignacio RC. Patient-oriented online resources in pediatric surgery: Are we failing the readability test?
J Pediatr Surg 2020;
55:2048-2051. [PMID:
31952681 DOI:
10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2019.11.018]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
The study aim was to evaluate the readability of patient-oriented resources in pediatric surgery from children's hospitals in the US.
METHODS
The websites of 30 children's hospitals were evaluated for information on 10 common pediatric surgical procedures. Hospitals of varying characteristics including bed number, geographic location and ACS Children's Surgery Verification (CSV) were selected for the study. Readability scores were calculated using validated algorithms, and text was assigned an overall grade level.
RESULTS
Of 195 patient-oriented resources identified, only three (2%) were written at or below the recommended sixth grade level. Larger hospitals provided patient information at a higher grade level than medium and smaller sized centers (10.7 vs 9.3 vs 9.0 respectively, p < 0.001). Hospital size also correlated with availability of information, with large and medium sized hospitals having information more often. Hospitals with ACS CSV had information available more often, and written at a lower grade level, compared to nonverified centers (78% vs 62%, p = 0.023; 9.0 vs 10.0, p = 0.013).
CONCLUSION
Most hospital provided patient-oriented resources in pediatric surgery are written at a grade level well above the national guidelines. Centers with ACS CSV status have improved availability and readability of this material, while larger hospitals have improved availability, but decreased readability.
TYPE OF STUDY
Modeling study.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
III.
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