We need to do better: Readability analysis of online patient information on cancer survivorship and fertility preservation
We need to do better: Readability analysis of online patient information on cancer survivorship and fertility preservation
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DOI：
10.1016/j.jcpo.2021.100276
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发表时间：
2021-02-13
影响因子：
1.3
通讯作者：
Kumar, Abhishek
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Alejos, David;Tregubenko, Polina;Kumar, Abhishek
目的：美国国立卫生研究院建议患者教育材料的写作水平不应超过六年级。许多国家协会建议与患者讨论癌症幸存者和生育能力保存问题，并越来越频繁地进行讨论。我们试图分析在线患者关于癌症存活和生育能力保存的信息，看看他们是否符合国家指南设定的标准。方法：通过六种最常见的可读性测试，收集和分析在线患者关于癌症生存和生育能力保存的信息。只使用了英文和免费访问的网站。结果：共使用了15个独立的癌症生存和生育保存网站。所有网站都没有达到国家规定。癌症幸存者的信息是在高中和12年级的水平上写的。保存生育能力的信息写在高中和大专水平。结论：关于癌症存活和生育能力保存的在线患者信息不符合国家指南。对六个最常用的可读性指数的测试表明，对于普通患者群体来说，理解信息是具有挑战性的。政策声明：本文分享了对复杂和不断发展的癌症幸存者和生育能力保存领域的见解。教育患者了解他们的病情是至关重要的，可以改善结果和共同决策的参与。卫生保健政策应侧重于实施一个系统，该系统将在社区中为患者提供有关其疾病的文化和语言上适当的信息。
Objective: National Institute of Health recommends that patient education material should be written at no greater than 6th-grade level. Cancer survivorship and fertility preservation discussion with patients is recommended by many national societies and being done more frequently. We sought to analyze online patient information on cancer survivorship and fertility preservation to see if they meet the criteria set by national guidelines.Methods: Online patient information on cancer survivorship and fertility preservation was collected and analyzed by six of the most common readability tests. Only websites in English and free to access were used.Results: A total of 15 separate websites for cancer survivorship and fertility preservation was used. All websites failed to meet national guidelines. Cancer survivorship information was written at a high school senior and a 12th-grade level. Fertility preservation information was written at a high school-senior and junior college level.Conclusion: Online patient information on cancer survivorship and fertility preservation did not meet national guidelines. Testing across six of the most used readability indexes showed that information is challenging to understand for the general patient population.Policy statement: This article shares an insight into the complex and growing fields of cancer survivorship and fertility preservation. Educating patients about their condition is critical and improves outcomes and participation in shared decision making. Healthcare policy should focus on implementing a system that will provide culturally and linguistically appropriate information in the community for patients about their disease.