Lauren E. Powell|Theodore Cisu|Adam P. Klausner
Bladder Cancer Health Literacy: Assessing Readability of Online Patient Education Materials
Virginia Commonwealth University|Virginia Commonwealth University|University Health System|Virginia Commonwealth University
background understanding healthrelated materials termed health literacy affects decision makings outcomes treatment bladder cancer national institutes health recommend writing education materials sixthseventh grade reading level goal study assess readability bladder cancer materials available online objective goal study characterize available information bladder cancer online evaluate readability methods materials bladder cancer collected american urological associations urology care foundation auaucf compared top 50 websites search engine results resources analyzed using four different validated readability assessment scales mean standard deviation materials calculated twotailed test used assess significance two sets patient education materials results average readability aua materials 85 8th9th grade reading level top 50 websites average readability 117 1112th grade reading level twotailed test aua top 50 websites demonstrated statistical significance readability two sets resources p 00001 top search engine results several grade levels higher recommended 67th grade reading level conclusions health information provided aua bladder cancer written reading ability aligns us adults top websites search engine results exceeding average reading level several grade levels focusing health literacy urologists may contribute lowering barriers health literacy improving health care expenditure perioperative complications