Meyer, M. F., Bacher, R., Roth, K. S., Beutner, D. and Luers, J. C. (2014). Systematic analysis of the readability of patient information on websites of German nonuniversity ENT hospitals. HNO, 62 (3). S. 186 - 194. NEW YORK: SPRINGER. ISSN 1433-0458

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

Besides their function as one of the main contact points, websites of hospitals serve as medical information portals. All patients should be able to understand medical information texts; regardless of their literacy skills and educational level. Online texts should thus have an appropriate structure to ease their comprehension. Patient information texts on every German nonuniversity ENT hospital website (n = 125) were systematically analysed. For ten different ENT topics a representative medical information text was extracted from each website. Using objective text parameters and five established readability indices, the texts were analysed in terms of their readability and structure. Furthermore, we stratified the analysis in relation to the hospital organisation system and geographical region in Germany. Texts from 142 internet sites could be used for the definite analysis. On average, texts consisted of 15 sentences and 237 words. Readability indices congruously showed that the analysed texts could generally only be understood by a well-educated or even academic reader. The majority of patient information texts on German hospital websites are difficult to understand for most patients. In order to fulfil their goal of adequately informing the general population about disease, therapeutic options and the particular focal points of the clinic, a revision of most medical texts on the websites of German ENT hospitals is recommended.

Item Type: Journal Article
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCIDORCID Put Code
Meyer, M. F.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Bacher, R.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Roth, K. S.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Beutner, D.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Luers, J. C.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
URN: urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-444715
DOI: 10.1007/s00106-013-2799-8
Journal or Publication Title: HNO
Volume: 62
Number: 3
Page Range: S. 186 - 194
Date: 2014
Publisher: SPRINGER
Place of Publication: NEW YORK
ISSN: 1433-0458
Language: German
Faculty: Unspecified
Divisions: Unspecified
Subjects: no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:
KeywordsLanguage
OtorhinolaryngologyMultiple languages
URI: http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/44471

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

Altmetric

Export

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item