Assessing the Readability of Online Peripheral Arterial Disease Patient Resources

Online resources may be a valuable source of information for patients, and have been shown to result in more inquiry during medical office visits, adherence to medical recommendations made by physicians, and patients making positive self-directed lifestyle changes. The accessibility to these resources is limited by the readability level of the article, and the literacy level of the population. Currently, the American Medical Association, the National Institutes of Health, and the US Department of Health and Human Services recommend that patient educational materials be written at or below a sixth-grade reading level.