Understanding hypothyroidism: A comprehensive readability survey of health information sources

Aim: The objective of this study is to evaluate the readability of Turkish-language online health information on hypothyroidism, a common endocrine disorder and to determine whether this information is sufficiently comprehensible for patients. Material and Methods: A descriptive document analysis was conducted using the Ateşman readability formula to evaluate the readability of Turkish websites providing information on hypothyroidism. The study analyzed 52 websites, chosen from the first 100 results in Google searches for "What is hypothyroidism?" (in Turkish). The sources of these websites were categorized into health professionals, private institutions, university hospitals, medical laboratories, and others. The average Word length (AWL) and average sentence length (ASL) were calculated for each website, and readability scores were analyzed. Results: The AWL ranged from 2.64 to 3.17 syllables, and the ASL ranged from 5.2 to 14.2 words per sentence. The average Ateşman readability score was 58.8 ± 6.4, indicating a moderate difficulty level. Of the websites, 86.5% were moderately difficult, 9.6% difficult, and 3.8% easy to read. No significant differences were found between different website sources regarding readability scores (p> 0.05). Conclusion: The study found that Turkish online information regarding hypothyroidism is moderately difficult to read, which may hinder accessibility for individuals with lower educational levels. Simplifying these resources could improve public understanding and patient engagement in managing hypothyroidism.