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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Punam J. Parikh, MPH¹, Marielos Vega, RN², Patricia Pinto, BA², Azadeh Tasslimi, BA¹, Daniel M. Rosenblum, PhD¹, Jeanne Ferrante, MD², and Stanley H. Weiss, MD³. (1) Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry-New Jersey Medical School, 30 Bergen St., ADMC 16, Suite 1614, Newark, NJ 07107, 310-709-0300, punamparikh@yahoo.com, (2) Family Medicine, New Jersey Medical School, 185 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103, (3) Department of Preventive Medicine & Community Health / Epidemiology, UMDNJ - New Jersey Medical School & New Jersey School of Public Health, 30 Bergen St, Bldg 16, Suite ADMC 1614, Newark, NJ 07107-3000

Cancer education materials are potentially powerful communication tools for the general public, patients and their families. However, materials written at elevated reading levels or those lacking cultural sensitivity may be inappropriate for the target audience(s). In this study, cancer education materials available in both English and Spanish were evaluated for cancer types addressed, readability, and cultural sensitivity.

Of the 116 health departments in NJ, 53 (46%) submitted copies of currently distributed cancer education materials. Reading levels were assessed using the SMOG scale (English) and the Fry-Graph method (English and Spanish). Cultural sensitivity was assessed with the Cultural Sensitivity Assessment Tool. We evaluated content, format, written messages, graphics, and overall presentation.

117 paired sets of English and Spanish materials were analyzed. Only 11 cancer types were addressed, with breast, colorectal, prostate, and cervical constituting 77%. Overall, 5% of English materials were written at recommended reading levels (5th-grade or lower), with mean reading levels of 8.7 (Fry-Graph) and 9.3 (SMOG). Similarly, 7% of Spanish materials were written at or below 5th-grade, with a mean of 8.0. Almost one-half of Spanish and one-fourth of English materials scored below acceptable values for cultural sensitivity. English materials scored better on written and visual components than Spanish counterparts.

40 million American adults are functionally illiterate (reading at or below 5th-grade level). Thus, discordance exists between cancer education materials and a substantial portion of the intended audience. More appropriate materials are needed. Materials should be selected based on the target audience's sociodemographics, linguistic abilities, and cancer risk.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the presentation, participants will

• Recognize the discordance between recommendations for reading ability and actual reading levels of cancer education materials.
• Better understand the role of health literacy in cancer education.
• Appreciate limitations in currently available Spanish and English cancer materials.

Keywords: Health Literacy, Cancer

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No