Lipid.Org Call for Submissions - Patient Education Style Guide

Disease/Condition Template

(Use the template below to ensure that you cover the most common questions that patients may have about their disease.)

Disease name:

Author:

Date Written:

ReadingLevel:

• Alternate Names (list)
• Definition
• What is going on in the body?
• What are the signs and symptoms of the disease?
• What are the causes and risks of the disease?
• What can be done to prevent the disease?
• How is the disease diagnosed?
• What are the long-term effects?
• What are the risks to others?
• What are the treatments?
• What are the side effects of the treatments?
• What happens after treatment?
• How is the disease monitored?
• List sources of where you acquired your information or where patients can seek additional information

Style Guide

(Using a consistent style, will allow the posted articles to have a more finished look; let patients find information more quickly; and present the topics as a cohesive group.)

• All content will be written at an 8th grade reading level. In general keep sentences to 12 words or less and use words with no more than 3 syllables. Each author or reviewer can test the reading level by using the Tools function in Word, checking spelling and grammar, and then the final screen will give a reading level score. Editors will test each article, adjust reading level if needed, and record reading level at the end of each article.
• Use third person. Change all references to "my body," for example, to "the body."
• Define all medical terms within the sentence the first time the term is used within the article.
• Include only generic drug names in the article to avoid the perception of bias.
• Authors should provide all source documentation for facts included in each article. Bracket source in text [Markley 1998] and attach reference list at end in APA style.

• Avoid acronyms unless extremely common, (AIDS), and spell out meaning the first time an acronym used. "low density lipoprotein (LDL)"

• Use parallel structure for all bullets. Use bullets, not numbers, for lists unless sequential steps are being described.
• Check bullets with lead-in phrases to see if the bullets finish the lead in as a sentence or if the bullets stand alone as a phrase. If the bullets finish a sentence, then a period should be used after each bullet. If the bullets stand alone as a phrase, then no period should be used at the end of each bullet.
  Ex. Phrase with no period:
  The three recommendations for taking the pill include:
  
  • swallowing it whole.
  • tossing it in the air and catching it with one gulp.
  • swirling it in a liquid before drinking.
  Ex. The three recommendations are:
  
  • swallow it whole
  • toss it in the air and catch it with one gulp
  • swirl it in a liquid before drinking

• Use "diagnosis" to refer to conditions and diseases, but not to people.
  Ex. Use "people with diabetes", not "diabetics"
• Instead of "incidence", use rate of occurrence of new cases or number of new cases in a given period. Explain "prevalence" as measure of the existing number of cases.
• Use "managed" for cases or diseases, and "treated" or "cared for" when referring to people.
• Use "over" when referring to physical position, and use "more than" when referring to quantities (more than 2,000).
• Use "older than" and "younger than" instead of "over" and "under'.
• Do not confuse "receive" with "undergo." People receive drugs, and undergo procedures.
• Avoid writing that studies, trials, etc "show" or "suggest." Findings or results may "show," "suggest" (but also do not speak).

• Use suspension hyphens in a series such as the one-, two- and four-dose groups.
• Do not use hyphens when describing ranges.
  Ex. The patients were 17-65 years of age. (incorrect)
  The patients were between 17 and 65 years of age. (correct)

• Use numerals with units of time (1 month, 10 years, etc.)
• Spell out one through nine when these numbers do not refer to units of measurement.

• Do not use parentheses unless an acronym is used.
• Ex. Congestive heart failure (CHF) causes... (correct)
• Use words and phrases such as "known as" or "called" and "or" and "which or that," rather then parentheses, when writing encyclopedia definitions.
  Ex. A heart attack, or myocardial infarction...
  Estrogen, a hormone that...
  Rather than:
  A heart attack (myocardial infarction)
• Whenever possible use the lay term and put the professional term in parentheses.
  Ex. low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), kidney stones (nephrolithiasis)

• Use the % rather than "percent".
• Use US not U.S. for United States.

• Healthcare (one word)
• Low-fat
• Nonfat
• Self-care, self-treatment
• Smoke-free
• Doctor (rather that "provider" or "physician")
• Healthcare provider (general)