Readability of Health Sites on the Internet

English: Literacy in the United States is a widespread problem. There are many Americans who do not have the ability to read at a level above the ninth grade. Today’s technological advances have resulted in more information being placed on the Internet. Consequently, the same individuals who had a limited capacity to read information from traditional sources will have similar difficulties reading information on the Internet. This study examined three well-known Internet sites for readability. Results of the study indicated that the average reading level for all three sites exceeded the level intended for public consumption of written information. Results of the study indicate that health educators need to be aware of the reading levels of the health information they are placing on the Internet. If the level of health information material is above the comprehension level of the general public, many individuals will be at a disadvantage in comprehending health information required to make personal health decisions. Spanish: El analfabetismo en los Estado Unidos de Norteamérica es un problema amplio. Existen muchos estadounidenses que no tienen la habilidad de leer a un nivel sobre el tercer año de escuela secundaria o bachiller (9º grado). Los avances tecnológicos de hoy en día han resultado en que mas información se encuentre disponible en el Internet