Health literacy and the World Wide Web: Comparing the readability of leading incident cancers on the Internet

Medical Informatics and the Internet in Medicine

Volumn 31, Issue 1, 2006, Pages 67-87

  Friedman, D B ^a   Hoffman Goetz, L ^a   Arocha, J F ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO   (Canada)

Author keywords

Cancer; Internet; Literacy; Readability

Indexed keywords

ACCESS TO INFORMATION; ARTICLE; AUTOMATION; BREAST CANCER; COLORECTAL CANCER; CONSUMER HEALTH INFORMATION; CONTROLLED STUDY; HEALTH EDUCATION; HEALTH PROMOTION; INTERNET; MEDICAL INFORMATICS; MEDICAL LITERATURE; PROSTATE CANCER; READING; SCORING SYSTEM;

ADULT; COMPREHENSION; DISCLOSURE; FEMALE; HUMANS; INTERNET; MALE; MIDDLE AGED; NEOPLASMS; ONTARIO; PATIENT EDUCATION;

EID: 33646796010     PISSN: 14639238     EISSN: 14645246     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/14639230600628427     Document Type: Article

References (79)

1. McCray, A. (2005) Promoting health literacy Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 12(2), pp. 152-163.
2. National Cancer Institute. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER). Available at: http://seer.cancer.gov/faststats/html/ mor_all.html. Accessed 15 Aug 2005
3. National Cancer Institute of Canada.(2005) Canadian cancer statistics 2005. Toronto
4. National Cancer Institute of Canada.(2004) Canadian cancer statistics 2004. Toronto
5. Johnson, J and Meischke, H. (1993) A comprehensive model of cancer-related information seeking applied to magazines Human Communication Research, 19, pp. 343-367.
6. Eysenbach, G. (2003) The impact of the Internet on cancer outcomes A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 53(6), pp. 356-371.
7. Turk-Charles, S and Meyerowitz, B and Gatz, M. (1997) Age differences in information seeking among cancer patients International Journal on Aging and Human Development, 45(2), pp. 85-98.
8. Rogers, A and Mead, N. (2003) More than technology and access: Primary care patients' views on the use and non-use of health information in the Internet age Health & Social Care in the Community, 12(2), pp. 102-110.
9. National Broadband Task Force.Industry Canada, Communications and Marketing Branch. In The New National Dream: Networking the Nation for Broadband Access. (pp. 103). n.d. Available at: http://www.broadband.gc.ca/broadband-document/report_e.asp. Accessed 15 September 2003
10. Statistics Canada. Characteristics of household Internet users, by location of access. Available at: http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/ comm10a.htm. Accessed 3 March 2005
11. Dickerson, S and Reinhart, A and Feeley, T and Bidani, R and Rich, E and Garg, V and Hershey, C. (2004) Patient Internet use for health information at three urban primary care clinics Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 11(6), pp. 499-504.
12. Rideout, V. (2002) Generation Rx.com Marketing Health Services, 22(1), pp. 26-30.
13. Roffman, D and Shannon, D and Dwyer, C. (1997) Adolescents, sexual health, and the Internet: Possibilities, prospects, and challenges for educators Journal of Sex Education, 22(1), pp. 49-55.
14. Cummings, J and Sproull, L and Kiesler, S. (2002) Beyond hearing: Where real world and online support meet Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, & Practice, 6(1), pp. 78-88.
15. Fogel, J and Albert, S and Schnabel, F and Ditkoff, B and Neugut, A. (2003) Racial/ethnic differences and potential psychological benefits in use of the Internet by women with breast cancer Psychooncology, 12(2), pp. 107-117.
16. Gustafson, D and Hawkins, R and Pingree, S and McTavish, F and Arora, N and Mendenhall, J and Cella, D and Serlin, R and Apantaku, F and Stewart, J and Salner, A. (2001) Effect of computer support on younger women with breast cancer Journal of General Internal Medicine, 16(7), pp. 435-445.
17. Lewis, D. (1999) Computer-based approaches to patient education: A review of the literature Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 6(4), pp. 272-282.
18. Bryant, J. (2005) The Internet and the elderly Medical Informatics and the Internet in Medicine, 30(1), pp. 1.
19. Adams, N and Stubbs, D and Woods, V. (2005) Psychological barriers to Internet usage among older adults in the UK Medical Informatics and the Internet in Medicine, 30(1), pp. 3-17.
20. Kiel, J. (2005) The digital divide: Internet and e-mail use by the elderly Medical Informatics and the Internet in Medicine, 30(1), pp. 19-23.
21. D'Alessandro, D and Kingsley, P and Johnson-West, J. (2001) The readability of pediatric patient education materials on the World Wide Web Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, 155(7), pp. 807-812.
22. Centre for Literacy of Quebec. Background Document on Literacy and Health. Available at: http://www.nald.ca/PROVINCE/QUE/litcent/health/ finalsum/bd/bd3-sec1.html. Accessed 15 June 2004
23. Statistics Canada.(2001) Canadians with literacy problems - Profile series. Ottawa Canada: Ministry of Industry.
24. US Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010. Available at: http://www.health.gov/healthypeople. Accessed 5 September 2004
25. Davis, T and Williams, M and Marin, E and Parker, R and Glass, J. (2002) Health literacy and cancer communication A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 52(3), pp. 134-149.
26. Merriman, B and Ades, T and Seffrin, J. (2002) Health literacy in the information age: Communicating cancer information to patients and families A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 52(3), pp. 130-133.
27. Davis, T and Arnold, C and Berkel, H and Nandy, I and Jackson, R and Glass, J. (1996) Knowledge and attitude on screening mammography among low-literate, low-income women Cancer, 78(9), pp. 1912-1920.
28. Benson, J and Forman, W. (2002) Comprehension of written health care information in an affluent geriatric retirement community: Use of the test of functional health literacy Gerontology, 48(2), pp. 93-97.
29. Baker, D and Gazmararian, J and Sudano, J and Patterson, M. (2000) The association between age and health literacy among elderly persons Journal of Gerontology: Social Science, 55B(6), pp. 368-374.
30. Parikh, N and Parker, R and Nurss, J and Baker, D and Williams, M. (1996) Shame and health literacy: The unspoken connection Patient Education and Counselling, 27(1), pp. 33-39.
31. Dolan, N and Ferreira, M and Davis, T and Fitzgibbon, M and Rademaker, A and Liu, D and Lee, J and Wolf, M and Schmitt, B and Bennett, C. (2004) Colorectal cancer screening knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs among veterans: Does literacy make a difference? Journal of Clinical Oncology, 22(13), pp. 2617-2622.
32. Dale, E and Chall, J. (1949) The concept of readability Elementary English, 26, pp. 23.
33. Friedman, D and Hoffman-Goetz, L.A systematic review of readability and comprehension instruments used for print and Web-based cancer information Health Education and Behaviour 2006.
34. McLaughlin, G. (1969) SMOG grading: A new reading formula Journal of Reading, 12, pp. 639-640.
35. Kincaid, J and Fishburne, R and Rogers, R and Chissom, B.(1975) Derivation of new readability formula for navy enlisted personnel. Millington TN: Navy Research Branch.
36. Flesch, R. (1948) A new readability yardstick Journal of Applied Psychology, 32, pp. 221-233.
37. Friedman, D and Hoffman-Goetz, L and Arocha, J. (2004) Readability of cancer information on the Internet Journal of Cancer Education, 19(2), pp. 117-122.
38. Friedman, D and Hoffman-Goetz, L. (2003) Cancer coverage in North American publications targeting seniors Journal of Cancer Education, 18(1), pp. 43-47.
39. Singh, J. (2003) Reading grade level and readability of printed cancer education materials Oncology Nursing Forum, 30(5), pp. 867-870.
40. Berland, G and Elliott, M and Morales, L and Algazy, J and Kravitz, R and Broder, M and Kanouse, D and Munoz, J and Puyol, J and Lara, M and Watkins, K and Yang, H and McGlynn, E. (2001) Health information on the Internet: Accessibility, quality, and readability in English and Spanish Journal of the American Medical Association, 285(20), pp. 2612-2621.
41. Beaver, K and Luker, K. (1997) Readability of patient information booklets for women with breast cancer Patient Education and Counselling, 31(2), pp. 95-102.
42. Glazer, H and Kirk, L and Bosler, F. (1996) Patient education pamphlets about prevention, detection, and treatment of breast cancer for low literacy women Patient Education and Counselling, 27, pp. 185-189.
43. Wilson, F and Baker, L and Brown-Syed, C and Gollop, C. (2000) An analysis of the readability and cultural sensitivity of information on the National Cancer Institute's Web site: CancerNet Oncology Nursing Forum, 27(9), pp. 1403-1409.
44. Meade, C and McKinney, W and Barnas, G. (1994) Educating patients with limited literacy skills: The effectiveness of printed and videotaped materials about colon cancer American Journal of Public Health, 84(1), pp. 119-121.
45. Rudd, R and Kaphingst, K and Colton, T and Gregoire, J and Hyde, J. (2004) Rewriting public health information in plain language Journal of Health Communication, 9(3), pp. 195-206.
46. Rudd, R and Zobel, E and Fanta, C and Surkan, P and Rodriguez-Louis, J and Valderrama, Y and Daltroy, L. (2004) Asthma: In plain language Health Promotion Practice, 5(3), pp. 334-340.
47. Guidry, J and Fagan, P and Walker, V. (1998) Cultural sensitivity and readability of breast and prostate printed cancer education materials targeting African Americans Journal of the National Medical Association, 90(3), pp. 165-169.
48. Guidry, J and Fagan, P. (1997) The readability levels of cancer prevention materials targeting African Americans Journal of Cancer Education, 12(2), pp. 108-113.
49. (2004) Nielsen NetRatings Search Engine Ratings. Available at: http://searchenginewatch.com/reports/article.php/2156451. Accessed 19 July 2004
50. Fallows, D. Search Engine Users. Washington: Pew Internet & American project. Available at: http://www.pewinternet.org. Accessed 16 February 2005
51. Eysenbach, G and Kohler, C. (2002) How do consumers search for and appraise health information on the world wide web? Qualitative study using focus groups, usability tests, and in-depth interviews British Medical Journal, 324(7337), pp. 573-577.
52. Klare, G.(1963) Measurement of readability. Ames IA: Iowa State University Press.
53. Klare, G. (1976) A second look at the validity of readability formulas Journal of Reading Behaviour, 8, pp. 129-152.
54. Ressler, S.(1997) The Art of Electronic Publishing. Prentice-Hall. Available at: http://www.prenhall.com/electronic_publishing/. Accessed 1 August 2004
55. Spadero, D. (1983) Assessing readability of patient information materials Pediatric Nursing, 9(4), pp. 274-278.
56. Croft, D and Peterson, M. (2002) An evaluation of the quality and contents of asthma education on the World Wide Web Chest, 121(4), pp. 1301-1307.
57. Graber, M and D'Alessandro, D and Johnson-West, J. (2002) Reading level of privacy policies on Internet health Web sites Journal of Family Practice, 51(7), pp. 642-645.
58. Hochhauser, M. (1997) Some overlooked aspects of consent form readability IRB, 19(5), pp. 5-9.
59. Freda, M and Damus, K and Merkatz, I. (1999) Evaluation of the readability of ACOG patient education pamphlets Obstetrics and Gynecology, 93(5 Pt 1), pp. 771-774.
60. Davison, B and Degner, L and Morgan, T. (1995) Information and decision-making preferences of men with prostate cancer Oncology Nursing Forum, 22(9), pp. 1404-1408.
61. Katz, M and Sheridan, S and Pignone, M and Lewis, C and Battle, J and Gollop, C and O'Malley, M. (2004) Prostate and colon cancer screening messages in popular magazines Journal of General Internal Medicine, 19(8), pp. 843-848.
62. Gerlach, K and Marino, C and Weed, D and Hoffman-Goetz, L. (1997) Lack of colon cancer coverage in seven women's magazines Women & Health, 26(2), pp. 57-68.
63. Hoffman-Goetz, L and Friedman, D. (2005) Disparities in the coverage of cancer information in ethnic minority and mainstream print media Ethnicity & Disease, 15(2), pp. 332-340.
64. Carrigan, M and Szmigin, I. (1999) The representation of older people in advertisements Journal of the Market Research Society, 41(3), pp. 311-326.
65. Ludwick, R and Rushing, B and Biordi, D. (1994) Breast cancer and the older woman: Information and images Health Care for Women International, 15(3), pp. 235-242.
66. Kreuter, M and Strecher, V and Glassman, B. (1999) One size does not fit all: The case for tailoring print materials Annals of Behavioural Medicine, 21(4), pp. 276-283.
67. Fox, S. Older Americans and the Internet. Washington: Pew Internet & American life project. Available at: http://www.pewinternet.org. Accessed 16 February 2005
68. Silver, C.(2001) Internet use among older Canadians. Ottawa: Ministry of Industry. (Statistics Canada catalogue 56F0004MIE, No. 4.)
69. Odedina, F and Scrivens, J and Emanuel, A and LaRose-Pierre, M and Brown, J and Nash, R. (2004) A focus group study of factors influencing African-American men's prostate cancer screening behaviour Journal of the National Medical Association, 96(6), pp. 780-788.
70. Baty, B and Kinney, A and Ellis, S. (2003) Developing culturally sensitive cancer genetics communication aids for African Americans American Journal of Medical Genetics, 118(2), pp. 146-155.
71. Chan, E and Haynes, M and O'Donnell, F and Bachino, C and Vernon, S. (2003) Cultural sensitivity and informed decision making about prostate cancer screening Journal of Community Health, 28(6), pp. 393-405.
72. Bailin, A and Grafstein, A. (2001) The linguistic assumptions underlying readability formulae Language and Communication, 21, pp. 285-301.
73. Mosenthal, P and Kirsch, I. (1998) A new measure for assessing document complexity: The PMOSE/IKIRSCH document readability formula Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 41(8), pp. 638-657.
74. Doak, C and Doak, L and Root, J.(1996) Teaching patients with low literacy skills. 2nd ed. Philadephia PA: Lippincott.
75. Roubidoux, M. (2005) Breast cancer detective: A computer game to teach breast cancer screening to Native American patients Journal of Cancer Education, 20(1), pp. 87-91. Suppl
76. Tetzlaff, L. (1997) Consumer informatics in chronic illness Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 4(4), pp. 285-300.
77. Defoe, T.(2003) Literacies at work in a culture of documentation. In Reading work. (pp. 122-153). New Jersey NY: Lawrence Erlbaum and Associates.
78. Castleton, G. (2000) Workplace literacy: Examining the virtual and virtuous realities in (e)merging discourses on work Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 21(1), pp. 91-104.
79. Chang, B and Bakken, S and Brown, S and Houston, T and Kreps, G and Kukafka, R and Safran, C and Stavri, P. (2004) Bridging the digital divide: Reaching vulnerable populations Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 11(6), pp. 448-457.