Table 4.

Compliance with best-practice recommendations for readability

Source of advice	Measure	Compliance (%)
NHMRC	Grade 8 readability level or below	1
	Use of tables	40
	Font size ≥ 11 points	94
ACSQH	Words/sentence < 20	45
	Sentences/paragraph < 3	93
	Limited passive voice use (< 10%)	100
	Word choice checked (simple words in place of complex ones)a	3
	Medical/scientific terms fully explained	21
	Left justified text	39
	Use of illustrations	15

NHMRC National Health and Medical Research Council, ACSQH Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare

^aAssessed for the presence of seven root words with simpler alternatives recommended in government plain language guidance—‘additional’, ‘approximate’, ‘concerning’, ‘reimburse’, ‘require’, ‘retain’, and ‘subsequently’