Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1988. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
AIDS: Reading Level Analysis of Public Information
AIDS & Public Policy Journal 3, no. 3 (1988): 11-14 Carol A. Ledbetter and Don Johnson
The only effective measure for significantly reducing the spread of infection is public education. The major aim of AIDS education is to modify certain sexual and drug use behaviors. To achieve this goal, various educational campaigns have been implemented, including dissemination of public reports on AIDS. The effectiveness of these publications depends on the readers' comprehension, which is dependent upon the literacy of the consumers. UNESCO defines illiteracy as an "inability to read and write in any, or a specified, language." In the 1970s, researchers began defining literacy in terms of reading and writing tasks associated with everyday life. Using these guidelines, researchers found that 13 percent of adults performed marginally on reading and writing tasks. Similarly, the Adult Functional Reading Study revealed that almost 20 percent of adults are unable to perform literacy tasks common to everyday life. In the Adult Performance Level Project, the researchers discovered that 50 percent of adults are functioning with difficulty. At least 20 percent of the people in the U.S. are functionally illiterate, that is, they are not able to read materials written at a fourth to fifth grade level. Doak and Doak found that approximately 50 percent of health care clients have difficulty reading or are unable to read instructional materials written at a fifth grade level. At least 20 percent of patients are unable to read educational instructions at all. Individuals from ethnic minorities and impoverished backgrounds are more likely to have difficulty reading. Johnson and McGrath found Hispanics and blacks to have the least knowledge about AIDS and the greatest participation in high-risk sexual practices compared to other ethnic groups. They also found that Hispanics and blacks have the least education. The purpose of this study was to investigate the readability of three widely disseminated AIDS pamphlets written expressly for the public.
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1988. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
