Assessing the Readability and Quality of Online Patient Information Regarding Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease
- 1Otolaryngology, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, London, GBR
- 2Foundation Programme, Wexham Park Hospital, Slough, GBR
- 3Otolaryngology, St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, GBR
Abstract
Background
The internet has revolutionised the way in which patients obtain information regarding their health. In order to be accessible, Health Education England recommend patient information should be at the reading age of an average 11-year-old. Effective management of aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is complex and includes a combination of medical (including aspirin desensitisation and biological treatments) and surgical therapy to improve quality of life and reduce recurrence. We objectively assess the quality and readability of online patient materials on AERD.
Methods
The three search engines utilised were Google (Google LLC, Mountain View, CA, USA), Bing (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA) and Yahoo (Yahoo Inc., New York City, NY, USA). Three specific search terms (‘Samter’s Triad’, ‘ASA Triad’, and 'AERD') were used to identify the top 40 websites from each search result. After applying eligibility criteria, a total of 30 websites were finally analysed. Selected websites were assessed for readability using the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease Score (FRES), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), and the Gunning-Fog Index (GFI). The quality of information available online was also assessed using the DISCERN tool.
Results
The average FRES was 36.95, which correlates to a US grade level of 11.5 (16-17-year-olds). The average GFI score was 15.07, which equals that of a 21-year-old. According to the DISCERN criteria, the overall quality of the health information was poor.
Conclusion
Health information available on the internet regarding AERD is overall of poor quality. The information available is written above Health Education England’s recommended reading level, which may reduce a patient’s understanding of AERD. As more patients turn to the internet to obtain health information, it is of utmost importance that information is validated and evidence-based to counter the spread of misinformation.
Related
- Research and therapeutic status of NSAID-exacerbated respiratory disease : A bibliometric study from 2000 to 2024
- Quality, Readability, and Content Deficiencies of Three Large Language Models in Bee Sting Health Information: A Comparative Evaluation with Patient Perspectives
- Accuracy, Quality and Readability of Knee Osteoarthritis Information on Social Media (Instagram e TikTok) and Search Platforms (Google e YouTube): A Cross-Sectional Study.
- Clinical accuracy, information quality and readability of chatbot responses to patient questions about lower extremity amputation
- The role of information and consent forms in patients’ decision-making regarding participation in oncology clinical trials
BibTeX
@article{shaikh2026assessing,
title = {{Assessing the Readability and Quality of Online Patient Information Regarding Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease}},
author = {Faiz A Shaikh and Huseyin Turacli and Rakesh Mistry and Raj Lakhani},
journal = {Cureus},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.7759/cureus.117217},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13721626},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Assessing the Readability and Quality of Online Patient Information Regarding Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease
AU - Faiz A Shaikh
AU - Huseyin Turacli
AU - Rakesh Mistry
AU - Raj Lakhani
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - Cureus
DO - 10.7759/cureus.117217
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13721626
AB - Background The internet has revolutionised the way in which patients obtain information regarding their health. In order to be accessible, Health Education England recommend patient information should be at the reading age of an average 11-year-old. Effective management of aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is complex and includes a combination of medical (including aspirin desensitisation and biological treatments) and surgical therapy to improve quality of life and reduce recurrence. We objectively assess the quality and readability of online patient materials on AERD. Methods The three search engines utilised were Google (Google LLC, Mountain View, CA, USA), Bing (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA) and Yahoo (Yahoo Inc., New York City, NY, USA). Three specific search terms (‘Samter’s Triad’, ‘ASA Triad’, and 'AERD') were used to identify the top 40 websites from each search result. After applying eligibility criteria, a total of 30 websites were finally analysed. Selected websites were assessed for readability using the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease Score (FRES), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), and the Gunning-Fog Index (GFI). The quality of information available online was also assessed using the DISCERN tool. Results The average FRES was 36.95, which correlates to a US grade level of 11.5 (16-17-year-olds). The average GFI score was 15.07, which equals that of a 21-year-old. According to the DISCERN criteria, the overall quality of the health information was poor. Conclusion Health information available on the internet regarding AERD is overall of poor quality. The information available is written above Health Education England’s recommended reading level, which may reduce a patient’s understanding of AERD. As more patients turn to the internet to obtain health information, it is of utmost importance that information is validated and evidence-based to counter the spread of misinformation.
SN - 2168-8184
ER -