However, there is more to patient education than having your facts straight. Because the average American reads at the 8th grade reading level, patient education materials should be written in plain language. “This means writing in ways that people can understand,” says Helen Osborne, MEd, OTR/L, author of Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message. Plain language includes:
- Organizing messages from the reader’s point of view;
- Using common one- or two-syllable words (sometimes called “living-room” language);
- Defining complicated, yet necessary, medical words clearly and simply;
- Having just one concept in a sentence; and
- Writing in a friendly, respectful tone.
One method to test the readability level of a piece is to administer the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) factor, which looks at the number of three or more syllable words in a text sample and calculates the years of education a reader would need in order to understand the text. (A SMOG calculator is available online at http://webpages.charter.net/ghal/SMOG.html.)
In healthcare today, patients and their families are asked to assume a lot of responsibility for their treatment and care. In order to do so responsibly, they must first learn what to do.
Pictures Worth A Thousand Words
“Just as important as words are the graphics and layout,” says Osborne. “Simple graphics and good layout help make messages easier to understand. For instance, simple line drawings such as pictographs can show, not just tell, ideas and actions that readers must know and do. Good layout, including proper font size and style, contrast, and adequate white space, help make documents look more appealing and inviting to read.” Serif fonts, such as Times New Roman, are easier for people to read.
