The suitability and readability of cochlear implant information brochures for potential adult recipients

Abstract

Objective

Adult cochlear implant (CI) candidates seeking to make an informed decision about cochlear implantation can find themselves needing to quickly understand large volumes of complex information provided by different professionals in different formats. This study investigates the suitability, within a health literacy context, of one of those sources of information: the CI brochure.

Design

A single-observation design.

Study sample

Thirty English passages of approximately 100-words each were sampled from 15 sections of seven CI brochures. All brochures were readily available to the general public on the Australian websites of four CI manufacturers at the time of the analysis (June 2019).

Results

Analyses by two examiners using the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM) classified all 15 sections from all seven CI brochures as being “not suitable” for general, adult readers. Analyses by the same examiners using four readability formulae (Flesch Reading Ease Scale, Fry Readability Graph, Flesch-Kincaid Readability Formula, and the Fog index) showed sampled passages from the 15 sections were written at a level best suited for persons with 10 to 14 years of schooling.

Conclusions

Brochures intended for adult CI candidates should be revised to improve their suitability and readability for adult CI candidates. Specific recommendations are suggested.

Keywords:

• Cochlear implants
• health information materials
• cochlear implant brochures
• readability
• suitability

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Advanced Bionics for funding this study, Ms Anna Francis for being the second independent assessor for the study materials, and Dr Rebecca Kelly-Campbell for expert advice on the SAM and health literacy.

Disclosure statement

The first author was a previous employee of Advanced Bionics, and the third author is employed by Sonova AG, the parent company of Advanced Bionics. However, all manufacturers were included in the study with no comparison made amongst manufacturers. Brochure selection was performed by the second author, and the evaluation/assessment of all materials was done by the second author and a University of Queensland research assistant – neither of whom have links to any cochlear implant manufacturer. Advanced Bionics (or Sonova) did not have any input into the study design, execution, data analyses, data interpretation, or this manuscript.