Glaucoma educational material too advanced for most patients
Most glaucoma patient education materials are written at a reading level higher than recommended, according to a new study.
Creating more accessible educational materials may improve patient engagement and clinical outcomes, as well as lessen racial and ethnic disparities in glaucoma management.
Researchers looked at the first 30 search results when “glaucoma” was Googled and assessed whether the material was over the recommended 7th grade level.
Overall, the mean grade level was 10.33. On only the first page of Google search results, the mean level was 10.56.
There was strong consistency amongst the readability instruments used in this study.
“There is a need for reliable, simple glaucoma information to improve patient outcomes,” the authors stated.
Reference
Cheng BT, Kim AB, Tanna AP. Readability of Online Patient Education Materials for Glaucoma. J Glaucoma. 2022 Mar 11. doi: 10.1097/IJG.0000000000002012. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35283441.
