Julia A. Cook|Sarah E. Sasor|Sunil S. Tholpady|Arash Momeni|Michael Chu
Hand Surgery Resources Exceed American Health Literacy
Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis|Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis|Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis|Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center|Palo Alto University|Stanford University|Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis|Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center
background national institutes health american medical association us national library medicine recommend educational material patients written sixthgrade reading level purpose study assess complexity hand surgery information academic plastic orthopedic surgery websites methods online search performed hand surgery patient education materials provided institutions plastic orthopedic surgery training programs readability analyses conducted using fleschkincaid reading ease fleschkincaid grade level simple measure gobbledygook index gunning fog score automated readability index colemanliau index 2tailed z test used compare means results seventysix institutions plastic orthopedic surgery training programs identified 42 educational material available online average readability handrelated information 1192 grade reading level information regarding de quervain tenosynovitis highest grade level plastic surgery procedures 1345 hand arthritis highest grade level orthopedic surgery procedures 1282 ganglion cysts lowest grade level plastic orthopedic surgery 1015 1101 respectively p 12 carpal tunnel release commonly described procedure overall differences text complexity among geographic regions conclusions online patient resources common hand ailments complex average patient understand efforts made provide materials recommended sixthgrade reading level improve patient education improve physicianpatient relationship