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Readability of user leaflets

Sub-Department of Clinical Health Psychology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT

Ulrike Schmidt, Consultant Psychiatrist

Bethlem & Maudsley NHS Trust, PACT Team, London

^* Correspondence

Aims and method Leaflets are commonly used as a way of providing information to users. In this study, we use a simple index of ‘readability’ to compare a range of leaflets available to people with mental health problems.

Results The majority of the leaflets contained passages that are likely to be beyond the comprehension of people with mental health problems.

Clinical implications Leaflets are a cost-effective way of providing information, but only if the text can be understood by the target audience.

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