Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
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Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Nov 2009
Readability analysis of patient information on the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery website.
To evaluate the readability of patient-oriented online health information (OHI) presented on the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) website. ⋯ This analysis has shown that the average reading level for each article on the AAO-HNS site was higher than the recommended sixth grade reading level. Although the AAO-HNS site is written at a higher level than that suggested for the general public, it is important to realize that readability is just one consideration in the evaluation of OHI comprehension. Physicians need to be cognizant of their patients' ability to read and comprehend written information and tailor their educational material appropriately.