Patient educational materials on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Abstract

Introduction Effectiveness of Patient Education Materials (PEMs) on NSAIDs is subjected to whether the patient is able to read and comprehend the information provided. This study assessed the readability, understandability and actionability of English-language NSAID-related PEMs targeted at patients or caregivers in Singapore. Methods PEMs obtained from healthcare institutions in Singapore and from two frequently used internet search engines using search terms “NSAID” or “non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug” were analysed by two reviewers using Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) to assess the readability of the PEMs. Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for printable materials (PEMAT-P) and United Kingdom Association for Accessible Formats (UKAAF) was used to assess the PEMs’ understandability, actionability and physical properties. Results All 74 PEMs that were reviewed, except one, were assessed to be beyond readability of the general population which was defined as grade 6 and below. Their mean FKGL and SMOG scores were 13.3 ± 2.8 and 14.4 ± 2.1 respectively. There were no significant differences in the FKGL ( p = .20) and SMOG scores ( p = .52) between local and non-local PEMs. The PEMs satisfied majority of UKAAF’s requirements. The PEMs’ understandability and actionability scores were 80.5 ± 8.0% and 52.5 ± 19.0% respectively. Conclusions Current NSAIDs-related PEMs are pegged too high at a level for a significant portion of population in Singapore to read and comprehend the information for them to take appropriate actions to ensure safe use of NSAIDs to manage their medical conditions. However, they are generally well-designed to facilitate reading of the materials.