Health Information on COVID-19 Vaccination: Readability of Online Sources and Newspapers in Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Philippines

To address the COVID-19 pandemic, as with other infectious diseases, a key intervention is vaccination. Health communications are thus of vital importance for informing public on benefits and risks vaccines. This in turn makes readability media content fundamental. Previous studies COVID-19-related information have found online considerably more difficult than recommended. However, related to vaccination Asian contexts yet be carried out. Furthermore, especially case current health communicated by variety channels, including internet mass media. paper investigates textual newspaper articles parts Asia where English one main languages, namely Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines. Readability was assessed using set tests (Flesch–Kincaid Reading Ease, Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog Index, Coleman–Liau Simple Measure Gobbledygook level). It that low proportion URLs scored within recommended thresholds, did so consistently across locations types sources. relatively web searches returned from local sources; most linked sources outside or Further, similarly poorly average compared non-local Understanding fast-evolving concerning encompasses about vaccine development deployment locations, well locally. Nevertheless, these findings indicated fairly among top search results, (i.e., difficult-to-read) scores results newspapers. An important issue strategies addressing will therefore consider different order achieve right mix while also ensuring appropriate readability.