Simply Said by Pam

03/02/2016

Infant mortality is a serious concern across the United States. The Center for Disease Control website (which is in the public domain and can be used by anyone) has much information on the deaths of infants under age one. I have copied their introductory text, and the reading level is 11th grade or above with a readability score of 50.6. Information designed for the public should be written at a 9th grade level or below. I rewrote their introductory information to have a reading level of 6.8 with a readability score of 69.9. It is my belief that such a reading level would better serve many of those who may be affected by infant mortality.

Original material:

Unfortunately, over 23,000 infants died in the United States in 2014. The loss of a baby remains a sad reality for many families and takes a serious toll on the health and well-being of families, as well as the nation.

The death of a baby before his or her first birthday is called infant mortality. The infant mortality rate is an estimate of the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births. This rate is often used as an indicator to measure the health and well-being of a nation, because factors affecting the health of entire populations can also impact the mortality rate of infants. There are obvious differences in infant mortality by age, race, and ethnicity; for instance, the mortality rate for non-Hispanic black infants is more than twice that of non-Hispanic white infants.

Rewritten material

Did you know that 23,000 babies age one and younger died in 2014 in the United States? Losing babies makes everyone sad. It makes families sad. It makes people across the nation sad. Such loss is hard on the health of families and our nation.

Infant mortality is the death of a baby before his or her first birthday. We can figure an infant mortality rate. This is the number of infant deaths for every 1000 live births.

The infant mortality rate is one way we measure how healthy our nation is. Factors that affect everyone's health can affect the mortality rate of babies.

Infant mortality rates are different for people of difference races, ages, and ethnicity. The mortality rate for black infants (non-Hispanic) is more than twice that of white infants (non-Hispanic).

There are several factors that may affect the infant mortality rate.

Does your business, organization, agency have materials that could be rewritten and more easily understood by those who must read and use the material? If so, feel free to contact me at [email protected] and enter Simply Said in the subject line.

06/25/2013

The Center for Disease Control has online information for all kinds of diseases. Today I went to the site about chickenpox. I ran their first two paragraphs through a readability calculator, and it required 11 years of formal education to read and easily understand the text. It had a Flesch Reading Ease level of 51.8. This is about the middle of the range for this index.

I rewrote it (you can see both the original and rewritten versions below), until it requires a 7th-8th grade level to read, and has a Flesch score of 72.8, making it much easier to read and understand.

Many more people could more readily understand related to their healthcare if it were rewritten.

Original Version from CDC site:

Chickenpox is a very contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). It causes a blister-like rash, itching, tiredness, and fever. Chickenpox can be serious, especially in babies, adults, and people with weakened immune systems. It spreads easily from infected people to others who have never had chickenpox or received the chickenpox vaccine. Chickenpox spreads in the air through coughing or sneezing. It can also be spread by touching or breathing in the virus particles that come from chickenpox blisters.
The best way to prevent chickenpox is to get the chickenpox vaccine. Before the vaccine, about 4 million people would get chickenpox each year in the United States. Also, about 10,600 people were hospitalized and 100 to 150 died each year as a result of chickenpox.

Rewritten version of same material:

The best way to prevent chickenpox is to get the chickenpox vaccine. Before the vaccine, about 4 million people would get chickenpox each year in the United States. Also, about 10,600 people were hospitalized and 100 to 150 died each year as a result of chickenpox

Chickenpox spreads quickly from one person to another. It is caused by a virus named varicella-zoster virus (VZV). If someone gets chickenpox, they will have a rash that looks like little blisters. The rash will itch. The person will be tired. They will have a fever.

Chickenpox can be very serious. It can be bad especially for babies and adults. It is also bad for people with weak immune systems.

Chickenpox spreads easily from one person to another. The virus goes through the air when a person coughs or sneezes. It can also spread if someone touches the blisters. Small particles from the blisters also go into the air. So, it can be spread by breathing, too.

If the person has not had chickenpox before, he or she can easily get it. If the person has not had the chickenpox vaccine, he or she can easily get it.

It is best to get the vaccine if you want to not get chickenpox. Before the vaccine was created, about 4 million people in the U.S. got chickenpox each year. About 10,600 had to go to the hospital. Between 100 and 150 people died each year from chickenpox.

06/22/2013

Just read Section 1001, Part A, of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It reads at a level 14 (sophomore college level). It has a Flesch Reading Ease level of 40.8. This scale goes from 0 to 100, and the lower the number, the more difficult it is to read. Legal jargon is about a 20. Comic books are about 90. I rewrote just that section, using simpler words and shorter sentences. That brought it down to level 11, a junior in high school level, and increased the Flesch level to 58, making it easier to read. I would be glad to receive some of the money the Navigators are going to get to simplify the text of the Obamacare Act!

Here is the original:
1001 – 10009 sections A through Hc. 1001\2711 PHSA PPACA (Consolidated) 14
‘‘Subpart II—Improving Coverage
‘‘SEC. 2711 ø42 U.S.C. 300gg–11¿. NO LIFETIME OR ANNUAL LIMITS.
øReplaced by section 10101(a)¿
‘‘(a) PROHIBITION.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A group health plan and a health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage may not establish—
‘‘(A) lifetime limits on the dollar value of benefits for
any participant or beneficiary; or
‘‘(B) except as provided in paragraph (2), annual limits
on the dollar value of benefits for any participant or beneficiary.
‘‘(2) ANNUAL LIMITS PRIOR TO 2014.—With respect to plan
years beginning prior to January 1, 2014, a group health plan
and a health insurance issuer offering group or individual
health insurance coverage may only establish a restricted annual limit on the dollar value of benefits for any participant or
beneficiary with respect to the scope of benefits that are essential health benefits under section 1302(b) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as determined by the Secretary.
In defining the term ‘restricted annual limit’ for purposes of
the preceding sentence, the Secretary shall ensure that access
to needed services is made available with a minimal impact on
premiums.
‘‘(b) PER BENEFICIARY LIMITS.—Subsection (a) shall not be construed to prevent a group health plan or health insurance coverage
from placing annual or lifetime per beneficiary limits on specific
covered benefits that are not essential health benefits under section
1302(b) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, to the
extent that

Here is the rewritten version of this section:

Insurers who offer group insurance coverage or coverage for individuals may not
a. Set limits on how much they will pay during an insured person’s lifetime
except what it says in paragraph 2.
b. Paragraph 2 says
1. If you are in a group or individual plan that was in effect before January 1, 2014, the insurer can set limits on how much they will pay. These limits apply to what is called “essential health benefits.” They are found in Section 1302(B) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The secretary will make sure that insured people can get needed care with only a small impact on premiums.
2. Insurers can place a limit on the amount of money they will pay during a person’s lifetime for services that are not on the essential services list.

Wonder if government officials know the average reading level of many or our nation's older and less affluent citizens?

04/28/2013

Have you read anything lately that would have been more understandable had it been written in simpler language?

04/09/2013

Wonder if The Affordable Care Act could be written in simpler language so that everyone could understand it .....

09/13/2012

Many folks would benefit by having consumer materials written at an improved readability level. Of particular concern is information related to taking care of one's health. It is important that folks understand what they read. www.simplysaidbypam.com is a fee-based service that can improve the readability of your original documents.

Simply Said by Pam is owned by Pamela J. Todd, M.S., Elementary Education and an Administrator's License; who has 32 years of experience teaching and four years experience as an administrator. She is highly qualified to simplify materials of various kinds, while retaining the meaning of ...

09/11/2012

Various articles note that older folks are among the most vulnerable when it comes to understanding the information given to them in terms of taking care of their health, medications, etc.

09/10/2012

The correct link to the article by Ruth Park from Emory University is www.heapro.oxfordjournals.org/content/1514/277.full Those pesky commas show up at the most inopportune time!

09/08/2012

According to Ruth Park, Emory University, in an online article entitled, "Health Literacy: A Challenge for Americans and their Health Care Providers" and paraphrasing her words: It is often people with the most severe health problems who may have difficulty understanding their illness, their medications, and how to take care of themselves. (www,heapro.oxfordjournals.org/content/1514/277.full)

09/07/2012

Did you know? An adult literacy assessment shows that about 14% of U.S. adults may have much difficulty understanding what they read. (http://www.caliteracy.org - Literacy Rate - How Many Are Illiterate?)

09/06/2012

Thanks for taking a look at my latest venture in simplifying materials for millions of readers.