Reading Deficiencies in Older Patients

To participate effectively in their health care, older patients often are expected to read a wide variety of materials, including written instructions, brochures, and consent forms. This study quantitates the reading ability of older patients and compares it to that of younger patients. Two hundred seventy-two patients 30 and older were selected from five outpatient clinics at a public teaching hospital and tested for objective reading ability using the Peabody Individual Achievement Test—Revised. The 76 patients 60 and older read significantly worse (grade level 2.9) than the 196 patients younger than 60 (grade level 5.8) (P