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Otology/Neurotology

(408) Quality and Readability of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Prevention Websites

Monday, October 2, 2023
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM East Coast USA Time

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Tyler M. Howard, MBA

    Medical Student (MS-3)
    University of Kentucky College of Medicine
    Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Abbigayle J. Rawls

    M4 at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine
    University of Kentucky College of Medicine
    Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • BK

    Brian P. Kinealy, MD

    Resident
    University of Kentucky College of Medicine Department of Otolaryngology
    Lexington, Kentucky, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • David M. Adkins, MD

    Resident Physician
    University of Kentucky College of Medicine Department of Otolaryngology
    Lexington, Kentucky, United States

    • Senior Author(s)

  • Matthew L. Bush, MD, PhD, MBA

    Professor and Vice Chair for Research
    University of Kentucky
    Lexington, KY, United States

Disclosure(s):
Tyler M. Howard, MBA: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Abbigayle J. Rawls: No relevant relationships to disclose.
David M. Adkins, MD: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Matthew L. Bush, MD, PhD, MBA: No relevant relationships to disclose.


Introduction: The American Medical Association (AMA) recommends that all patient reading materials be written at or below a sixth-grade reading level. The objective this study was to analyze the readability and quality of online health information related to noise-induced hearing loss prevention in both English and Spanish.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study in which the term: “Noise-induced hearing loss prevention” was searched using four major internet search engines. The top 50 English and Spanish websites from each search engine were extracted and screened with respect to the inclusion criteria. Included websites were evaluated for readability using the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES) for English websites and the Fernandez Huerta Formula (FHF) for Spanish websites. Quality of information was scored using the DISCERN criteria and the presence of a Health on the Net (HONCode) certificate.

Results: Analysis included 44 Spanish and 36 English websites. English readability averaged on a 10th-12th grade reading level, while Spanish websites averaged an 8th-9th grade reading level. English websites were significantly more difficult to read (average FRES =56.3, SD=11.2, 95%CI: 52.7 - 60.0) than Spanish websites (average FHF =62.1, SD=5.5, 95%CI: 60.5 - 63.8) (p=0.003). English HONCode certified websites were significantly easier to comprehend (63.9 vs 54.8 p=0.03) and contained higher quality information (34.7 vs 23.3 p=0.005) compared to non-HONCode certified English websites. Spanish websites published by health information companies were significantly more difficult to read compared to government-sponsored websites (60.7 vs 66.4 p< 0.05).

Conclusions: The information found online regarding noise-induced hearing loss prevention is written at a reading level that exceed the AMA recommended. In fact, none of the English or Spanish websites included in study were written at or below a 6th-grade reading level. Given than noise-induced hearing loss is an overwhelmingly common, yet preventable condition, It is important that we assess and improve the information available to patients online.