Tips on Evaluating Written Health Education Materials

As a health care provider, you want your clients to have high-quality, easy-to-read, and culturally appropriate health education materials. How can you be sure that the materials you are considering using will really work with your clients? Here is a four-step process that you can follow when you evaluate written health education materials:

Step 1: Assess the reading level of the proposed material.

At least 1 out of 6 American adults read at or below the 5th grade level. Yet most health education materials are written at the 10th grade level or above. You can assess the reading level of a written material using the Fry Graph Reading Level Index (PDF, 500k) or the SMOG Readability Formula among other available tools.

Think about these questions:

• Are the main ideas clear?
• Are the sentences simple, short, and conversational?
• Are the words used easy for most people to understand?

Step 2: Assure content accuracy.

Everyone needs up-to-date and medically accurate health education materials. Use clinical staff to help decide whether the material is medically accurate.

Think about these questions:

• Is there any bias on the part of the producer of the material?
• Does it fit the needs of the population you serve?
• Does it reflect the latest research and clinical practice?

Step 3: Ask about its cultural relevance and appropriateness with the populations you serve.

The best way to assure that the materials will resonate with your clients is to ask them to preview the materials for appropriateness and appeal.

Think about these questions:

• Are the messages and images positive and inclusive, based on the strengths and values of the cultural groups you serve?
• Are the images and messages appealing to and respectful of the populations you serve?

Step 4: Make sure that the material meets the personal and emotional needs of the individual client.

When diagnosed with a health problem, people often experience physical or emotional stress. This makes it harder to process complicated written information. Make sure that only a small amount of information is presented at one time and that the information is arranged in a logical and easy-to-comprehend way.

Think about these questions:

• Do the illustrations relate to the information being shared?
• Is the layout well-organized and easy to follow?
• Does it include only the information the client needs to know at this stage?

Based on what you find from each of these steps, you can decide which materials are best suited for the clients you serve.

Resources available at
California Family Health Council

Want help finding linguistically and culturally appropriate materials for your clients? Visit CFHC’s extensive Online Database of Health Education Materials evaluated by expert health educators.

Want easy-to-read, field-tested reproductive health education materials in multiple languages? Check out our Online Store of outstanding materials for diverse populations.

Need more information or training about choosing easy-to-read, culturally appropriate materials? Contact the health educators at CFHC by emailing us at resources@cfhc.org, or call us at 1-800-428-5428 and ask for Michelle Horejs or Donna Sanders.