Universität zu Köln

Esfahani, B. Janghorban, Faron, A., Roth, K. S., Grimminger, P. P. and Luers, J. C. (2016). Systematic Readability Analysis of Medical Texts on Websites of German University Clinics for General and Abdominal Surgery. Zent.bl. Chir., 141 (6). S. 639 - 645. STUTTGART: GEORG THIEME VERLAG KG. ISSN 1438-9592

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Abstract

Background: Besides the function as one of the main contact points, websites of hospitals serve as medical information portals. As medical information texts should be understood by any patients independent of the literacy skills and educational level, online texts should have an appropriate structure to ease understandability. Materials and Methods: Patient information texts on websites of clinics for general surgery at German university hospitals (n = 36) were systematically analysed. For 9 different surgical topics representative medical information texts were extracted from each website. Using common readability tools and 5 different readability indices the texts were analysed concerning their readability and structure. The analysis was furthermore stratified in relation to geographical regions in Germany. Results: For the definite analysis the texts of 196 internet websites could be used. On average the texts consisted of 25 sentences and 368 words. The reading analysis tools congruously showed that all texts showed a rather low readability demanding a high literacy level from the readers. Conclusion: Patient information texts on German university hospital websites are difficult to understand for most patients. To fulfill the ambition of informing the general population in an adequate way about medical issues, a revision of most medical texts on websites of German surgical hospitals is recommended.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Esfahani, B. Janghorban UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Faron, A. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Roth, K. S. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Grimminger, P. P. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Luers, J. C. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-255128
DOI:	10.1055/s-0034-1383381
Journal or Publication Title:	Zent.bl. Chir.
Volume:	141
Number:	6
Page Range:	S. 639 - 645
Date:	2016
Publisher:	GEORG THIEME VERLAG KG
Place of Publication:	STUTTGART
ISSN:	1438-9592
Language:	German
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language INFORMATION Multiple languages Surgery Multiple languages
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/25512