Quality and Readability of Hearing Aid-Related Websites in English and Spanish

The present study highlights the importance and necessity of providing quality, readable materials to patients seeking information regarding hearing aids. This study shows that both English and Spanish Web sites are written at a level that is much higher than the American Medical Association (AMA)-recommended sixth-grade reading level, and no Web site included in this study fell at or below the AMA-recommended sixth-grade reading level. English and Spanish Web sites also lacked consistency and quality, as evidenced by their wide variability in DISCERN scores. Specifically, Hispanic patients are more likely to suffer long-term consequences of their health care due to low levels of health literacy. It is important to bridge this gap by providing adequate reading materials. It is especially important to provide evidence-based claims that are directly supported by experts in the field.