Original articleReadability of HIV/AIDS educational materials: the role of the medium of communication, target audience, and producer characteristics☆
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Effects of simplifying outreach materials for energy conservation programs that target low-income consumers
2013, Energy PolicyCitation Excerpt :Our findings show that one of the two brochures became more understandable after simplifying its wording, possibly because its more straightforward topic lent itself better for simplification. Although we followed recommendations to simplify communications to Flesch–Kincaid readability statistics of grade level 5–6 or below (Paashe-Orlow et al., 2003; Wells, 1994), we found that participants who had received the simplified Smart Comfort brochure answered more understanding questions correctly than did those who had received the original version, while there was no significant difference in understanding between those who were given the simplified Watt Choices brochure or its original version. Following previous findings that health communications about complex topics are more difficult to effectively simplify (Finnie et al., 2010; Daraz et al., 2011), this finding suggests that the topic of the Watt Choices brochure was more complex than the topic Smart Comfort brochure.
Survey of consumer informatics for palliation and hospice care
2011, American Journal of Preventive MedicineCitation Excerpt :Large segments of the population, it is clear, would encounter some difficulty in reading the material on most of the sites listed in this paper.19 Comic books work best for some situations, perhaps demonstrating the value of multimedia as well as of simplification of presentation.20 Excellent guides to health literacy are available from the DHHS,21,22 and one hopes that future products will incorporate the DHHS principles.
Behavior treatment programs, readability, and treatment outcomes
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This research was performed while James A. Wells was with the Project HOPE Center for Health Affairs.