Table 2 Comparison of first and last letters for: Plain language writing quality, patients’ data, and letters attributes
From: Teaching plain language to medical students: improving communication with disadvantaged patients
Item | 1st letter | 3rd letter | P | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean (SD) | Median | Mean (SD) | Median | ||
Assessment Items | |||||
 1. Telling the hospitalization narrative | 3.2 (1.1) | 3.0 | 4.0 (1.2) | 4.0 | P = 0.004 |
 2. Adequacy and clarity of medical terms | 3.2 (1.2) | 3.0 | 3.6 (1.2) | 4.0 | NS |
 3. Language and style | 3.9 (1.2) | 4.0 | 4.5 (0.8) | 5.0 | P = 0.006 |
 4. Structure of the letter: medical problems | 3.6 (1.2) | 4.0 | 4.0 (1.0) | 4.0 | NS |
 5. Structure of the letter: Medication table | 3.3 (1.3) | 4.0 | 4.1 (1.1) | 4.0 | P = 0.029 |
 6. Structure of the letter: instructions | 4.2 (0.9) | 4.0 | 4.4 (0.7) | 5.0 | NS |
Overall scorea | 3.5 (0.8) | 3.5 | 4.1 (0.6) | 4.2 | P = 0.001 |
Patient Data | |||||
 No. medications listed | 3.10 (2.96) | 2.00 | 3.83 (3.02) | 3.00 | NS |
 No. of background diseases | 2.62 (3.14) | 1.00 | 2.54 (2.44) | 2.00 | NS |
Letter attributes | |||||
 No. Sentences narrative | 11.2 (7.8) | 9.00 | 14.2 (10.3) | 10.00 | P = 0.042 |
 No. words narrative | 153.7 (108.0) | 106.00 | 189.3 (116.3) | 155.00 | P = 0.027 |