Rapid Fire Oral Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2026

“It simplified it and made it seem less scary”: Evaluating Easy Read cancer information for people with low literacy  (144191)

Jenni Bruce 1 , Leonie Cranney 1 , Fiona Baker 1 , Erica James 1 2 , Vanessa Johnston 1 3
  1. Cancer Council NSW, Woolloomooloo, NSW, Australia
  2. University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Aims

About 20,000 people diagnosed with cancer in Australia each year have low literacy1 and face barriers to understanding cancer information, contributing to inequities in cancer care2-7. In 2025, Cancer Council NSW developed a co-designed Easy Read series comprising five fact sheets and an animated video designed to improve access to cancer information. This evaluation examined implementation feasibility, resource reach, and acceptability among health professionals and consumers (people with low literacy, people with intellectual disability, and people who spoke English as an additional language).

Methods

A mixed-methods evaluation integrated data from an online survey of health professionals (n=44), follow-up interviews (n=9), consumer focus groups and interviews (n=16), web and social media analytics, print distribution records, and project documentation.

Results

The pilot demonstrated that although resource intensive, it was feasible to co-design and implement Easy Read cancer resources. In the first five months following launch, 3554 users accessed the Easy Read webpages, and 1727 printed fact sheets were distributed through health professionals. Distribution reached regional and remote communities (33.2%) and areas of socioeconomic disadvantage (46.6%). Most health professionals agreed the resources met the information needs of people with low literacy (88.6%), intellectual disability (77.3%), and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (75.0%), and reported they were likely to recommend them to patients (85.7%). Across all three consumer groups, participants described the resources as easy to understand, reassuring and relevant. Consumers reported that the resources simplified complex concepts, reduced anxiety, and helped them understand what to expect and where to find support. Both print and video formats were important for meeting diverse information preferences.

Conclusions

Easy Read cancer information can help make a cancer diagnosis less overwhelming, support communication and promote health literacy for underserved groups. Findings support continued investment in accessible information resources as part of equitable, person-centred care.

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  7. Perocchia, R. S., Hodorowski, J. K., Williams, L. A., Kornfeld, J., Davis, N. L., Monroe, M., & Bright, M. A. (2011). Patient-centered communication in cancer care: the role of the NCI's Cancer Information Service. Journal of cancer education: the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education, 26(1), 36–43. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-010-0121-y.