Date of Award
Spring 4-12-2024
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Communication Sciences and Disorders
First Advisor
Dr. Alison King
Second Advisor
Dr. Shannon Salley
Third Advisor
Dr. Jennifer Hutchinson
Abstract
This study examined the accessibility of informational health documents about ototoxic chemotherapy provided to caregivers of pediatric cancer patients. Hearing loss as a result of chemotherapy can result in financial, social, and developmental consequences for these patients. Caregivers are an integral part of the medical team, and their knowledge of procedures and treatments directly impacts their ability to make informed decisions for the patient.
This study qualitatively analyzed informational health documents about chemotherapy, acquired from the websites of National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated cancer centers using federal guidelines put into place by the Plain Writing Act of 2010 and the National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards. The informational health literature was also quantitatively analyzed using the Flesch Reading Ease Formula, the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), and the Suitability Assessment of Materials. The qualitative data was transformed into quantitative data, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze and compare all of the quantitative data. Our analysis showed limited accessibility and readability of informational health documents. We concluded that there is limited information available and accessible to caregivers of pediatric patients, and that more research should be conducted to better understand the perspective of caregivers and the involvement of oncology medical professionals in the dissemination and creation of informational health documents.
Recommended Citation
Belton, Sarah and Jones, Abigail, "Hear All About It: Health Literacy and Pediatric Ototoxic Chemotherapy" (2024). Theses & Honors Papers. 559.
https://digitalcommons.longwood.edu/etd/559
