title: Readability of 3 heart disease health-related quality of life questionnaires.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the readability of the English language versions of 3 heart disease health-related quality of life questionnaires, the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure (MLHF) Questionnaire, the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ), and the MacNew Heart Disease Health-Related Quality of Life (MacNew) Questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  The readability of the MLHF, the SAQ, and the MacNew was calculated using 6 different readability formulas; the FOG Index, the Fry Readability Formula for Short Passages, the Harris-Jacobson, the Flesch, the New Dale-Chall, and the SMOG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The reading grade level of the MacNew averaged between the fifth and sixth grades. Readability of the MLHF and the SAQ averaged between the seventh and eighth grade levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that care should be taken to select heart disease health-related quality of life instruments that match closely the reading level of the target population as the ease of reading these 3 heart disease health-related quality of life instruments varies.
authors: Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
authors: Andrea N
authors: AN
authors: Gromoske
authors: Neil
authors: N
authors: Oldridge
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Brondino