Readability of patient and health care professional targeted dietary supplement leaflets used for diabetes and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Observed Findings

• Patient-targeted dietary supplement leaflets averaged a 13th-grade reading level, nearly double the recommended 6th-grade level.
• Professional leaflets were even more difficult, averaging 14.7 grade level.
• Natural Standard database leaflets were more difficult to read than Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database leaflets using HIReA scoring.
• The 'Related Terms' and 'Other Names' sections were the most difficult to read in patient leaflets.
• The Health Information Readability Analyzer tool showed better precision in detecting readability differences than the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level method.

Inferred Conclusions

• Current dietary supplement leaflets for patients are written at levels far exceeding recommended readability standards, potentially limiting patient comprehension.
• The Health Information Readability Analyzer is a more sensitive and precise tool than standard readability measures for assessing health information complexity.
• The gap between actual and recommended readability levels may contribute to patient misunderstanding and poor treatment adherence.
• Different information databases and sections within leaflets vary considerably in accessibility, suggesting opportunities for targeted improvement.

Remaining Questions