Pediatric Gastrostomy Educational Materials: A Health Literacy Assessment.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-2026

Identifier

DOI: 10.1177/00099228251415210; PMCID: PMC13064816

Abstract

Health literacy and language impact comprehension of and adherence to written educational materials, including those for gastrostomy tubes (g-tubes). Our objective was to evaluate the readability, understandability, actionability, content, and language availability of a national sample of written g-tube educational materials. We conducted a cross-sectional study of g-tube educational materials from top 20 children's hospitals (US News and World Report) obtained via a systematic online search and provided by the institutions. We assessed material: (1) readability, (2) understandability and actionability (Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Printable Materials, (3) content, and (4) language availability. Mean (standard deviation [SD]) reading grade level was 8.3 (1.9). Mean (SD) understandability and actionability scores were 81.6% (12.1%) and 65.9% (23.2%), respectively. Materials covered a mean (SD) of 46.1% (25.3%) of content items; 20% of institutions provided materials in non-English languages. Future research should examine how to improve educational materials for children with g-tubes.

Journal Title

Clinical pediatrics

Volume

65

Issue

6

First Page

802

Last Page

815

MeSH Keywords

Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; Health Literacy; Gastrostomy; Child; Patient Education as Topic; Comprehension; Teaching Materials; United States; Female; Male

PubMed ID

41615434

Keywords

children with medical complexity; gastrostomy tubes; health literacy; patient education; pediatric hospital medicine

Comments

Grants and funding

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