Influence of vocabulary and sentence complexity and passive voice on the readability of consumer-oriented mental health information on the Internet.

Full Abstract

Searching for health care information is one of the most common uses of the Internet by the elderly. Our earlier research showed that health care information websites may present information at levels of readability that are excessively difficult for many potential users. This study investigated the influence of several aspects of readability (vocabulary and sentence complexity and use of passive voice construction) on overall readability at several different levels of readability. Results show that easier to read sites could be differentiated most consistently from more difficult sites by vocabulary complexity. Comparison of the easiest and most difficult sites in several cases showed that sentence complexity and passive voice may also be important. These results can provide guidance for those interested in improving the readability of web sites that provide mental health information for consumers.

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Author information

Author/s: Ownby, Raymond L (RL);

Affiliation: Center for Evidence-Based Clinical Practice and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, FL, USA.

Grants: K23 AG19745 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: AMIA ... Annual Symposium proceedings / AMIA Symposium. AMIA Symposium (AMIA Annu Symp Proc), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2005-; vol (issue ) : pp 585-9

Dates: Created 2006/06/16; Completed 2007/02/15; Revised 2008/11/20;

PMID: 16779107, 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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