Evaluation of the readability, understandability, and actionability of Covid-19 public health messaging in Atlantic Canada
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22093292 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Katherine Kelly (0009-0004-1924-4475, University of Prince Edward Island, corresponding author), Katherine Jennifer Kelly, Alyson Campbell (0000-0002-0253-5135, University of Prince Edward Island), Anja Salijevic (University of Prince Edward Island), Sarah Doak (University of Prince Edward Island), Laurie Michael (University of Prince Edward Island), William Montelpare (0000-0002-4167-4613, University of Prince Edward Island) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 8 |
| Publication date | 2023-05-12 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Communication (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2297-900X • E-ISSN: 2297-900X |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fcomm.2023.1006784 |
| OpenAlex | W4382623887 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 46 |
Introduction Effective communication of COVID-19 information involves clear messaging to ensure that readers comprehend and can easily apply behavioral recommendations. This study evaluated the readability, understandability, and actionability of public health resources produced by the four provincial governments in Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island). Methods A total of 400 web-based resources were extracted in June 2022 and evaluated using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, CDC Clear Communication Index, and the Patient and Education Materials Assessment Tool. Descriptive statistics and a comparison of mean scores were conducted across provinces and type of resources (e.g., text, video). Results Overall, readability of resources across the region exceeded recommendations, requiring an average Grade 11 reading level. Videos and short form communication resources, including infographics, were the most understandable and actionable. Mean scores across provinces differed significantly on each tool; Newfoundland and Labrador produced materials that were most readable, understandable, and actionable, followed by New Brunswick. Discussion Recommendations on improving clarity of COVID-19 resources are described. Careful consideration in the development of publicly available resources is necessary in supporting COVID-19 knowledge uptake, while reducing the prevalence of misinformation
CLARITY · Data mining · Geography · Health communication · Infographic · Medical education · Misinformation · Political science · Public relations · Readability · World Wide Web · Computer Science · Health Literacy and Information Accessibility · Medicine · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Psychology · Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy
Development of the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (Pemat)
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Derivation of New Readability Formulas (Automated Readability Index, Fog Count and Flesch Reading Ease Formula) for Navy Enlisted Personnel
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| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2024 - 2025 (2) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |