Table 1.
SAM criteria utilized for appraisal of PEMs
| Category | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Message Content | |
| Does the material explain the purpose and benefits from the patient’s view? | |
| Is the content limited to a few essential main points that the majority of the target population will benefit from? | |
| Are behaviors and skills emphasized rather than just facts? | |
| Are readers provided with opportunities small successes? | |
| Are key points reviewed at the end of each section/page? | |
| Is the material sensitive to cultural differences? | |
| Is the new information placed in the context of the patients’ lives? | |
| Are readers told what they should get from the material and what can do to improve their health? | |
| Is the organization of the paragraphs and sentences conducive to easy reading? | |
| Are instructions broken into easy-to-read parts? | |
| Is the material interactive (encourage the patient to write, answer questions, ask questions, cut out forms, etc)? | |
| Text Appearance | |
| Is the font size no smaller than 12–14pt? | |
| Is easy-to-read font (no fancy script or lettering) used? | |
| Are bold and underline used instead of ALL CAPS and italics? | |
| Are colors used to promote easy reading? (Dark fonts on light backgrounds are best.) | |
| Is overall sharp contrast and large font used? | |
| Visuals | |
| Do the visuals all help communicate your messages in a literal manner (no abstract symbols)? | |
| Are the visuals culturally relevant and sensitive? | |
| Are the visuals easy for your readers to follow and understand? | |
| Are internal body parts or small objects shown in context and in a realistic manner? | |
| Are the visuals professional and appropriate for an adult audience? | |
| Are the visuals free of distracting details that take away from the main idea? | |
| Do all the graphics contribute to your message? | |
| Are examples given for any lists, charts, or diaries that readers are supposed to complete? | |
| Layout and Design | |
| Is the cover effectively designed? | |
| Are messages organized so they are easy to act on and recall? (Headings, sub-headings, etc.) | |
| Is there a lot of white space (no dense text)? | |
| Is the text easy for the eye to follow (Bullets, paragraph shape: 40–50 characters wide, text boxes)? |
SAM, suitability assessment of materials; PEM, patient education meterials