LAUSR

Background SARS-CoV-2 has spread rapidly resulting in a global pandemic and public health crisis. The internet is a frequently used resource for providing patient education materials (PEMs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the readability, content, and quality of web-based PEMs on COVID-19 from U.S. academic medical centers. Methods The names of U.S. medical schools were obtained from the Association of American Medical Colleges website (n=145). Institutional, hospital, and heath encyclopedia websites associated with each schools’ medical center were identified using Google. Readability of COVID-19 PEMs was calculated using three validated indices: (1) Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level, (2) Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, and (3) Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook. Content was evaluated using a scoring matrix based on materials available on the Center for Disease Control website. The Patient Education Material Assessment Tool for Print (PEMAT-P) was used to assess usability and actionability. Results A total of 141 (97%) PEMs met inclusion criteria and were analyzed for readability, content and quality. The mean readability was above the recommended 6th grade reading level (P<0.001). Content was variable across PEMs. The PEMAT-P scores reflected good understandability with a median score of 83% (IQR 75-87%), while actionability was poor with a median score of 41% (IQR 40-60%). Conclusions Despite availability of web-based PEMs for COVID-19, the readability was significantly higher than the NIH and USDHHS recommended 6th grade reading level and actionability of PEMs was low. It is critical to provide readable patient education materials on COVID-19 to effectively disseminate accurate information and facilitate patients’ understanding of the virus, how it spreads, and how to protect themselves.