Table 3.

Guidelines for improving readability and comprehension of written text in patient education materials [11]

Limit the number of messages

Use short sentences

Use conversational style as if you are talking to someone

Limit medical jargon

Avoid ambiguous words

Select familiar words and use them consistently

Use analogies that are familiar and culturally appropriate for the target audience

Instead of real numbers, when conveying statistics use words a like “half,” “one-third”

Avoid symbols and quotation marks