An evaluation of the readability of drinking water quality reports: a national assessment

Journal of Water and Health
Siddhartha RoyBrenda M Davy

Abstract

The United States Environmental Protection Agency mandates that community water systems (or water utilities) provide annual consumer confidence reports (CCRs)--water quality reports--to their consumers. These reports encapsulate information regarding sources of water, detected contaminants, regulatory compliance, and educational material. These reports have excellent potential for providing the public with accurate information on the safety of tap water, but there is a lack of research on the degree to which the information can be understood by a large proportion of the population. This study evaluated the readability of a nationally representative sample of 30 CCRs, released between 2011 and 2013. Readability (or 'comprehension difficulty') was evaluated using Flesch-Kincaid readability tests. The analysis revealed that CCRs were written at the 11th-14th grade level, which is well above the recommended 6th-7th grade level for public health communications. The CCR readability ease was found to be equivalent to that of the Harvard Law Review journal. These findings expose a wide chasm that exists between current water quality reports and their effectiveness toward being understandable to US residents. Suggestions for reorienting...Continue Reading

References

Mar 1, 1993·Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery·C J Rife
Jul 24, 1997·The New England Journal of Medicine·B D Weiss, C Coyne
Apr 25, 2001·Journal of General Internal Medicine·A AzoulayM J Eisenberg
Mar 4, 2003·Pediatrics·Mark V Wegner, Deborah C Girasek
Sep 13, 2003·Risk Analysis : an Official Publication of the Society for Risk Analysis·Branden B Johnson
Aug 3, 2006·Journal of General Internal Medicine·Michael P Pignone, Darren A DeWalt
Jan 23, 2008·Journal of Water and Health·Orapin ThapsingkaewVilailuck Kijjanapanich
Apr 11, 2008·Journal of Water and Health·Veronica Blette
Apr 11, 2008·Journal of Water and Health·Phyllis A Nsiah-Kumi
Aug 26, 2010·Journal of Public Health Dentistry·Teresa ScherzerJane A Weintraub
May 11, 2011·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Zhihua HuRobert L Mahler
Jul 28, 2012·Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy : RSAP·Lih-Wern WangFrances K Wen
Jun 22, 2014·Health Promotion Practice·Cynthia Baur, Christine Prue

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Dec 18, 2014·Environmental Science & Technology·Andrea M Dietrich, Gary A Burlingame
Apr 23, 2016·Journal of Water and Health·Katherine PhetxumphouAndrea M Dietrich
Dec 23, 2017·Gynecological Endocrinology : the Official Journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology·Maryam Seyyed AbootorabiSakineh Nourisaeidlou
Apr 4, 2019·Journal of Water and Health·Lisa RagainAndrew J Whelton

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.