Evaluation of Readability, Quality, and Comprehensiveness of Online Patient Materials on Dysplastic Nevi

Abstract

Online articles on Dysplastic Nevi (DN) are a major source of information for patients. The information provided should be readable, high quality, and comprehensive. Our objective was to evaluate the landscape of published online educational materials on DN based on standard criteria of readability, quality, and comprehensiveness. A Google search was conducted utilizing terms "dysplastic nevi," "atypical mole," and "abnormal mole." The first 40 search results of each term were analyzed. Readability, quality, and comprehensiveness were analyzed using standard research tools. Correlation and comparison statistics were used to analyze relationships between characteristics noted. We identified 40 patient articles among 120 results. Average reading grade level was 10.6 (range 6.3 to 14.1). The average DISCERN instrument score was 39.5 (range 20.5 to 57.5.), indicating fair quality. Average comprehensiveness, calculated using 23 evaluative-based measures, was 13.1 (range 2 to 21). Comprehensiveness directly correlated with quality (r=0.7163). Physician authors produced articles more comprehensive and of higher quality than those authored by non-physicians, while dermatologist-authored articles were noted to be less readable. We conclude that authors of online patient articles on DN should prioritize their readability, quality, and comprehensiveness.