Assessment of selected patient educational materials of various chain pharmacies.

Pharmacy literature commonly used to inform patients about medication side-effects and complications was examined for readability. Forty-five (45) informational sheets were obtained from nine national and regional pharmacies. According to the McLaughlin's SMOG (Simple Measure of Gobbledegook) formula, the reading level of the informational sheets ranged from grade 8-14 (8 = 8th grade level and 14 = collegiate level), with a mean reading level of 12. The sampled pharmacy educational materials may be too difficult for most Americans to read and comprehend. The pharmacist may assist in increasing patient compliance by offering education in a form that is understandable, which increases the likelihood of adherence to desired health behaviors.