Volume 128, Issue 1 pp. E21-E26
General Otolaryngology

The Índice Flesch-Szigriszt and Spanish Lexile Analyzer to evaluate Spanish patient education materials in otolaryngology

Samih J. Nassif MD

Corresponding Author

Samih J. Nassif MD

Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery , Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts

Send correspondence to Samih J. Nassif, MD, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington Street, Box 850, Boston, MA 02111. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author
Kevin Wong BA

Kevin Wong BA

Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery , Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A

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Jessica R. Levi MD

Jessica R. Levi MD

Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery , Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A

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First published: 09 October 2017
Citations: 14

Poster presented at the 120th Triological Society Annual Meeting at the Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings, San Diego, California, U.S.A., April 26–30, 2017.

The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.

Abstract

Objectives/Hypothesis

Evaluate the reading difficulty of Spanish patient education materials using the validated Índice Flesch-Szigriszt (INFLESZ) and Spanish Lexile Analyzer, and to identify relationships between English and Spanish readability formulas.

Study Design

Cross-sectional analysis.

Methods

All otolaryngology-related patient education articles written in Spanish from the health libraries of the top 10 US News & World Report–ranked hospitals, top 10 Doximity-ranked otolaryngology residencies, the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery website, and the US National Library of Medicine online section on ears, nose and throat were collected. Reading difficulty was assessed using the INFLESZ and Spanish Lexile Analyzer. Additional readability assessments included the traditional English tools: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease Score, and the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook score.

Results

A total of 497 articles were reviewed. The average INFLESZ score for all articles was 57.75, which is considered normal and requires the reading ability of a student who finished Escuela Secundaria Obligatoria or 10th grade equivalent in the United States. The average Spanish Lexile measure for all articles was 1062L, equivalent to a reading level between the 6th and 12th grade. English readability tools calculated a more difficult reading level compared to Spanish tools when performed on the same text.

Conclusions

Current Spanish patient education materials in otolaryngology may be too difficult for the average Spanish-speaking reader to understand. Future improvements may be warranted to improve the readability of educational materials and increase health literacy.

Level of Evidence

NA. Laryngoscope, 128:E21–E26, 2018

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