Readability of Online Information on Celiac Disease: A Brief Report

Abstract

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune condition characterized by an intolerance to dietary gluten for those with a genetic predisposition. The Internet has become a key source of information about CD as well as a gluten-free diet (GFD), although the quality is varied. There has been little investigation into the readability of online CD information. Keyword “celiac disease” was used for a search in the browser, Google Chrome. URLs of the first 100 English websites were recorded; sponsored or advertised websites were not included in the sample. Five recommended tests generated by Readable.io were utilized to assess the sample’s readability scores. Only one of the 100 websites received an acceptable reading score on two of the five reading assessments. Websites with extensions of .com or .org were equally likely to be written at the same unacceptable level. Informational websites on celiac disease may serve as an unintentional barrier for consumers seeking readable, online material on this health topic.

KEYWORDS:

• Celiac disease
• online
• readability

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Danna Ethan

Danna Ethan ([email protected]) holds a master’s degree in social work from New York University and a master’s and doctoral degree in Health Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Ethan is Chair of the Department of Health Sciences at Lehman College, The City University of New York (CUNY); her interests and scholarship are in health communication, environmental and behavioral determinants of health, and urban health disparities.

Zoe Meleo-Erwin

Zoe Meleo-Erwin ([email protected]) is an Assistant Professor of Public Health at William Paterson University. She received her doctorate in sociology from the CUNY Graduate Center and holds master’s degrees in social ecology from Goddard College, and disability studies from the CUNY School of Professional Studies. Her research interests include health disparities, structural determinants of health, weight-based stigma, food-based health movements, and decision-making around vaccination. A list of her publications can be found at: www.zoemeleoerwin.com

Joseph Fera

Joseph Fera ([email protected]) is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Lehman College CUNY. He received his PhD in Mathematics from Wesleyan University. His research interests include hyperbolic geometry, complex variables, geometric function theory, and interdisciplinary collaborations.

Phillip Garcia

Phillip Garcia is a Clinical Research Coordinator at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) with a concentration in Health Care Management.

Corey H. Basch

Corey H. Basch ([email protected]) holds master’s degrees in nutrition education, communication and education, and cognition and learning as well as a doctorate all from Teachers College, Columbia University. In addition, she holds an MPH with an emphasis in public health practice from University of Massachusetts Amherst. Dr. Basch completed her postdoctoral training in the Department of Epidemiology at Columbia University with a specialization in cancer-related population science. Her interests and expertise are in health education, behavioral science and health communication.