OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the readability of online patient education materials provided by eight nationally recognized obstetrics and gynecology societies is in accordance with the recommended 6th-grade reading level outlined by the American Medical Association, National Institute of Health, and United States Department of Health and Human Services. METHODS: An analysis of 410 online patient education materials from the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the American Urogynecologic Society, the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and Voices for Pelvic Floor Disorders was completed, and the readability scores using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease, Gunning Fog Scale, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook readability scales were calculated. These scales are used to assess print and web-based written material across a wide range of medical specialties and are endorsed by the National Institutes of Health. All four scales are computer-based assessments of readability that consider word count, number of syllables, and length of sentences when calculating a score that corresponds to grade level. RESULTS: Majority of the patient education materials across all eight obstetrics and gynecology societies had readability scores above the recommended 6th-grade reading level. The average reading level for the 69 obstetrics-related articles ranged from 9th to 12th grade. The mean grade level for the 341 gynecology articles had a similar range across the four readability scales. CONCLUSION: Online patient education materials provided by major obstetrics and gynecology societies do not currently adhere to recommended readability guidelines. Continued efforts to provide accessible and informative patient education materials is recommended to help improve health literacy for women.
Uterine incarceration is most often described as occurring in pregnancies. Presenting with severe pelvic pain, urinary retention, and in some cases spontaneous abortion, this complication often arises at 12–15 weeks of gestational age. Although usually considered an obstetrical complication, uterine incarceration can occur in nongravid females. This case report presents a gynecological patient with acute urinary retention secondary to uterine incarceration. The patient chose surgical management, and surgery provided immediate symptomatic relief. Our case highlights an uncommon etiology of acute urinary retention and demonstrates the importance of considering the diagnosis of uterine incarceration in nongravid as well as gravid females.
INTRODUCTION: Major medical societies remain a reliable and accessible resource for online patient educational materials. While it is advised that patient educational materials remain at or below sixth grade reading level, the readability of most online educational content provided by such societies often exceeds this recommendation. Gynecological societies play an important role in providing online health information to women. However, a comprehensive review of non-obstetric patient education materials has not yet been undertaken. The purpose of this study is to determine whether patient educational materials provided by major American gynecological societies adhere to current patient readability recommendations. METHODS: Three hundred and five non-obstetric articles from the online patient education sections of six gynecological societies were reviewed. Patient readability was analyzed using the Flesch-Kincaid reading scale and a corresponding grade level was assigned. RESULTS: The average grade level of reviewed patient educational material was 11.3 ±3.0. When analyzed by category, patient material about Contraception had the lowest mean grade level (7.9±4.0), while material on Surgical Treatment had the highest mean grade level (13.5±4.0). Only one of the gynecological societies presented any material that was at or below the recommended sixth grade reading level. CONCLUSION: Online patient educational material provided by major gynecological societies rarely adhere to currently readability guidelines. This may prove a significant barrier to patients achieving health literacy. While major gynecological societies excel at providing current, evidence-based material to a wider population, efforts must be placed on ensuring that the average patient can understand the message conveyed.
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