A systematic review of readability and comprehension instruments used for print and web-based cancer information.

Full Abstract

Adequate functional literacy skills positively influence individuals' ability to take control of their health. Print and Web-based cancer information is often written at difficult reading levels. This systematic review evaluates readability instruments (FRE, F-K, Fog, SMOG, Fry) used to assess print and Web-based cancer information and word recognition and comprehension tests (Cloze, REALM, TOFHLA, WRAT) that measure people's health literacy. Articles on readability and comprehension instruments explicitly used for cancer information were assembled by searching MEDLINE and Psyc INFO from 1993 to 2003. In all, 23 studies were included; 16 on readability, 6 on comprehension, and 1 on readability and comprehension. Of the readability investigations, 14 focused on print materials, and 2 assessed Internet information. Comprehension and word recognition measures were not applied to Web-based information. None of the formulas were designed to determine the effects of visuals or design factors that could influence readability and comprehension of cancer education information.

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Author information

Author/s: Friedman, Daniela B (DB); Hoffman-Goetz, Laurie (L);

Affiliation: Department of Health Studies and Gerontology, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Review

Journal: Health education & behavior : the official publication of the Society for Public Health Education (Health Educ Behav), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Jun; vol 33 (issue 3) : pp 352-73

Dates: Created 2006/05/15; Completed 2006/10/12; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 16699125, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Mass Media
Medical Informatics - standards
Neoplasms

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