# Readability and Quality of Online Patient Education Materials Concerning Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

## TL;DR

This study found that online patient education materials about PCL reconstruction are too complex for the average reader and lack quality certifications.

## Contribution

The study evaluates readability and quality of PCL reconstruction educational materials using standardized metrics and benchmarks.

## Key findings

- The average readability level of materials is higher than recommended for general audiences.
- Only 7.4% of websites had a HONcode seal, indicating limited quality assurance.
- JAMA benchmark scores were low, suggesting poor quality of information.

## Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to assess the quality of online patient educational materials regarding posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstruction.

Methods

We performed a search of the top-50 results on Google® (terms: “posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction,” “PCL reconstruction,” “posterior cruciate ligament surgery,” and “PCL surgery”) and subsequently filtered to rule out duplicated/inaccessible websites or those containing only videos (67 websites included). Readability was assessed using six formulas: Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease (FRE), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKG), Gunning Fog Score (GF), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) Index, Coleman-Liau Index (CLI), Automated Readability Index (ARI); quality was assessed using the JAMA benchmark criteria and recording the presence of the HONcode seal.

Results

The mean FRE was 49.3 (SD 11.2) and the mean FKG level was 8.09. These results were confirmed by the other readability formulae (average: GF 8.9; SMOG Index 7.3; CLI 14.7; ARI 6.5). A HONcode seal was available for 7.4 % of websites. The average JAMA score was 1.3.

Conclusion

The reading level of online patient materials concerning PCL reconstruction is too high for the average reader, requiring high comprehension skills.

Practice implications

Online medical information has been shown to influence patient healthcare decision processes. Patient-oriented educational materials should be clear and easy to understand.