ASSESSMENT OF THE READABILITY OF INFORMED CONSENT FORMS USED IN AN ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY CLINIC

Aim Informed consent documents should be written in a manner that is easy to read and understand. This study aims to evaluate the readability of informed consent documents utilized before surgical procedures in the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery at a university in Türkiye. Methods This study analyzed twenty consent forms used in a university's maxillofacial surgery clinic. The number of sentences, words, syllables, words per sentence, syllables per word, and the frequency of medical terms were calculated for each form. The readability levels of the consent forms were evaluated using the Ateşman formula. Results The mean number of words in the consent forms was 11.8, the mean number of syllables was 2.9, and the proportion of medical terms was 3.38. Based on the Ateşman readability formula, the readability scores of the consent documents used in surgery ranged from 37.1 to 68.8. Among the 20 consent forms analyzed, six were deemed 'difficult' in readability, while 14 were rated as 'moderate difficulty'. Conclusion Based on study findings, informed consent forms used in oral and maxillofacial surgery are difficult to read and generally require a high school or higher level of education. Given Türkiye's average education level and health literacy rate, it is recommended that consent forms used in oral and maxillofacial surgery be revised to enhance readability. Keywords Ateşman readability formula, Informed consent form, Oral and maxillofacial surgery, Readability.