Patient information leaflets are an important adjunct to verbal exchange between doctor and patient. Their value is dependent upon whether they contain useful information from the viewpoint of the patient and are easily understood. We developed a framework based upon linguistic theory for assessing the quality of written patient information and applied it to a set of leaflets about methotrexate treatment. Items included the overall structure of the text, the technicality of the vocabulary used, the number of content words per clause ('lexical density'), and the clarity of the role relationship between author and reader. The leaflets consisted of up to nine identifiable sections (range 3-8): background information about the drug, summary of its use, dosage instructions, outline of benefits and side-effects, monitoring information, constraints on patient behavior, storage instructions, and clinical contact availability. Most leaflets contained a high number of content words per clause and the identity of the author was clear in only three (17%). Linguistic analysis provides highly relevant information about written patient information. Together with critical assessment of factual and visual aspects, consideration of key linguistic features should improve the quality of informational texts for our patients.
Henry and William Williams came to New Zealand as missionaries to Maori in the 1820s. Today many of their descendants still believe the family has a special relationship with Maori. Life narrative interviews were analysed to explore the ways in which this belief plays out in the lives of 5th and 6th generation descendants. Many simply believe they have greater empathy with Maori than most Pakeha, but for some it has greater significance, providing them with a sense of identity and belonging. The family myth is shown to act synergistically with the modern ideology of biculturalism and other cultural myths.
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