A Health Literacy Evaluation of Multimedia Prostate Cancer Information on an eHealth Platform

Prostate cancer patients and caregivers often struggle to find reliable, relevant, and comprehensible health information to guide treatment decisions. To meet their information needs, we developed the Interactive Prostate Cancer Information, Communication, and Support (iPICS) eHealth platform. This study evaluated the understandability, actionability, clarity, and readability of the iPICS education materials supporting users to find, understand, and act upon health information. We sampled our self-curated multimedia materials and applied three validated health literacy instruments: the Patient Education Material Assessment Tool (PEMAT), the Clear Communication Index (CCI), and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL). Descriptive statistics (e.g., mean, median) summarized assessment scores, and Kruskal-Wallis tests compared scores across material types. Results will guide the ongoing enhancement of iPICS content and user experience, supporting patient education, informed treatment decision-making, and self-care management.