The CDC Clear Communication Index Is a New Evidence-Based Tool to Prepare and Review Health Information

Abstract

This article presents the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Clear Communication Index (the Index), a tool that emphasizes the primary audience’s needs and provides a set of evidence-based criteria to develop and assess public communication products for diverse audiences. The Index consists of four open-ended introductory questions and 20 scored items that affect information clarity and audience comprehension, according to the scientific literature. A research team fielded an online survey to test the Index’s validity. Respondents answered 10 questions about either an original health material or one redesigned with the Index. For 9 out of 10 questions, the materials revised using the Index were rated higher than the original materials. Regardless of education level, respondents rated the revised materials more favorably than the original ones. The results indicate that the Index performed as intended and made it more likely that audiences could correctly identify the intended main message and understand the words and numbers in the materials. The results also support the widely held view that audiences are more positive about clearly designed materials. The Index shows that an evidence-based scoring rubric can assess and improve the clarity of health materials.