A Case Study Analyzing the Reading Levels of Print and Electronic Health Education Material for Health Consumers with Low Levels of Literacy

Autor/in	Gerstle, Alan John
Titel	A Case Study Analyzing the Reading Levels of Print and Electronic Health Education Material for Health Consumers with Low Levels of Literacy
Quelle	(2010), (3 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Health Education; Printed Materials; Reading; Audiences; Reading Skills; Spanish; Native Speakers; Grade 12; Immigrants; Grade 4; Case Studies; Literacy; Evaluation; Reading Ability; Readability; Educational Media; Nonprint Media; Instructional Materials; Web Sites; Electronic Publishing; Educational Technology; Flesch Kincaid Grade Level Formula; Flesch Reading Ease Formula + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Gesundheitsaufklärung; Gesundheitsbildung; Gesundheitserziehung; Leseprozess; Lesen; Spectator; Zuschauer; Reading skill; Lesefertigkeit; Spanisch; Muttersprachler; School year 12; 12. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 12; Immigrant; Immigrantin; Immigranten; School year 04; 4. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 04; Case study; Fallstudie; Case Study; Alphabetisierung; Schreib- und Lesefähigkeit; Evaluierung; Reading competence; Lesekompetenz; Lesbarkeit; Bildungsmittel; Unterrichtsmedien; Lehrmaterial; Lehrmittel; Web-Design; Elektronisches Publizieren
Abstract	The purpose of this case study was to determine if two samples of health education literature (one in print media; the other in electronic media), and published by the same health education organization, provided the requisite reading level for their intended audiences: immigrants and native speakers with a fourth-grade level of literacy. A randomly selected page from a Spanish language health education publication and an informational webpage intended for health care consumers--both targeting individuals with approximately fourth-grade reading skills--were assessed with appropriate readability instruments to determine their level of difficulty. The results indicated that while the Fernandez-Huerta Scale indicated that the printed material was suitable for Spanish readers with a fourth-grade reading level, the Flesch Reading Ease Formula indicated that the English language webpage required a reading level of 12th grade or higher. This suggests that electronic text may not be as rigorously tested to comply with the needs of low-literacy individuals. Given the relatively recent and substantial growth of electronically-based health education material, and the lack of expertise that website designers may have (as compared to traditional textbook publishers) in gearing content for individuals with varying levels of literacy, both private and public organizations that provide electronically-delivered health education material should be vigilant in assuring the content meets the requirements of the intended audience. (Contains 3 footnotes.) (As Provided).
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10