title: Evaluating the quality and readability of thyroplasty information on the Internet.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the quality and readability of thyroplasty information available on the Internet.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a Google search for "thyroplasty treatment" and analyzed the first 50 Web sites using the DISCERN instrument, the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) score. DISCERN is a 16-item validated questionnaire used to assess the quality of written health information for patients. FRES and FKGL are commonly used instruments to assess readability of written information. We also further analyzed major versus minor and patient-targeted versus professional Web sites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall DISCERN score was 2.20 ± 0.60. Overall FRES score was 29.68 ± 16.64. Overall FKGL score was 13.07 ± 3.95. We found significant differences between patient-targeted and professional Web sites on FRES (43.80 ± 2.78 and 18.58 ± 9.04, respectively) and FKGL (11.46 ± 3.36 and 14.33 ± 4.30, respectively) (P < 0.00 and P = 0.01, respectively). We also found significant differences between major and minor Web sites on DISCERN (2.35 ± 2.35 and 1.95 ± 0.61, respectively), FRES (24.75 ± 14.61 and 37.71 ± 16.97, respectively), and FKGL (14.19 ± 3.68 and 11.24 ± 3.77, respectively) (P = 0.03, 0.01, and 0.01, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thyroplasty information available online is of suboptimal quality and written at a level too difficult for the average American adult to read comfortably. Major Web sites have higher quality information but are more difficult to read. Professional Web sites are also more difficult to read than patient-targeted Web sites.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors: Kimberly
authors: K
authors: Ting
authors: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Electronic address: amandahu@phillyent.com.
authors: Amanda
authors: A
authors: Hu
mesh_terms: D022126:Access to Information; D032882:Comprehension; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000592:standards; D063005:Health Information Systems / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000592:standards; D058753:Laryngoplasty; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011786:Quality Control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Internet; Patient information; Thyroplasty