Selection and validation of a measurement instrument for readability calculations in patient information leaflets for oncological patiens in Spain

Abstract

This article presents some findings which deal with text readability, obtained in a research project sponsored by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad . The main objective of the project was to improve the quality of written texts used to convey information to oncological patients in hospitals in Spain. Among other measurement instruments, it was proposed to use some readability index which allowed to detect the quality of the original texts considered (written in Spanish), and which additionally enabled the evaluation of the improvement in readability achieved as a consequence of the research. Literature review on readability indices, for the case of Spanish language, indicated three possible candidates. Statistical analysis guided the selection and validation processes carried out for the indices in the case of patient information leaflets addressed to oncological patients in two Spanish hospitals