Readability of consumer-oriented geriatric depression information on the internet

Readability, or the ease with which written material is scanned and understood, is an important factor in the effectiveness of written communication. This study evaluated the readability of consumer- oriented information about geriatric depression on the Internet. The readability of material from 60 websites (e.g., the National Institute of Mental Health or www.nimh.nih.gov) was evaluated with standard readability indexes. The effects of type of search, type of site, and search engine on readability were assessed, and most sites were too difficult for most elders to read. Results show that consumers of geriatric depression information on the Internet may not be able to profit from it due to the low levels of readability of the material provided.