Emily Brown|Megan Skinner|Stephanie Ashley|Kate Reed|Shannan Dixon
Assessment of the Readability of Genetic Counseling Patient Letters
University of Maryland, Baltimore|University of Maryland, Baltimore|Anne Arundel Medical Center|Jackson Laboratory|University of Maryland, Baltimore
patient letters powerful tool genetic counselors use communicate patients patient letters often sent provide information new diagnosis reiterate test results serve permanent record visit patient letters however helpful patients understand 50 us population reads 9th grade reading level onethird population low health literacy skills study evaluate readability genetic counseling patient letters assessing reading level image use terminology use one hundred fortynine genetic counselors participated survey 79 submitted sample patient letter analyses letters revealed mean reading level 1093 average 6 genetic terms included letter 25 terms defined analyses survey responses revealed 75 genetic counselors include images patient letters results indicate room improvement order make genetic counseling patient letters accessible general population