<<<Our Patient Ed committee requires that all materials be written on a 4th
grade level>>>
<<<this same Pt Ed Com rejects "poop" and "pee" on a hospital-logo handout as
being "unprofessional". They like "stool" and "urine" or "void".>>>

I wish you were kidding, Phyllis, but I'm sure you're not.

Providing education material at limited reading grade levels is a WONDERFUL
principle, but any health literacy expert will very quickly point out that
reading level is only one of MANY readability factors that must be addressed
simultaneously.  The more important principle is to write what people need to
know as effectively as you can.  Most "easy-to-read" guidelines give 5-6th grade
as a **target** reading level, to be evaluated as one of many factors.

A group that wants to enforce a 4th grade reading level for their materials is
apparently intent on speaking in VERY plain language.  I applaud their
intentions.  Technical jargon words that have only 1 or 2 syllables are great
for readability scoring, but they're STILL technical jargon, and need to be
replaced by more easily-understood words, especially for the very-limited
literacy audience they're apparently trying to reach.  I can pretty safely
assume that this committee doesn't field test material.  Is there any way to
influence this process??

Sorry for "preaching to the choir," but this is pretty outrageous, and I needed
to vent!

Sandra McMillan, RD
Saint Eugene Medical Center
Dillon SC

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