The text size feature is an example of thinking locally about a  
systemic problem.   The odds are that if I need enlarged text (as many  
seniors do, for example, I'll need it on all web sites, not just on  
the health one.  It's a much better strategy to design the page using  
proportional measures (all font sizes specified in ems or percent  
rather than point size or pixels) so that the user can instruct their  
browser to show pages in the preferred size.   After all, what are the  
chances that the designer knows the sizes that the many visitors might  
need.

Each browser has a mechanism to show fonts in a larger size:  in  
Firefox, Control-+, in IE, it's on the Tools menu.   This allows a  
much greater degree of control for the reader than any built in setting.

Denis Anson, MS,  OTR
Director of Research and Development
Assistive Technology Research Institute
Misericordia University


On Jul 1, 2008, at 4:17 PM, Benjamin T Wise wrote:


> In response to Dr. Calderon's post re: the www.dlife.org website:

>

> My impression is that the initial poster was referring to the  

> variable text

> size feature (which is also now more common among national news  

> websites

> such as cnn.com (although the "text size - +" buttons are quite  

> small), and

> not the actual content on the dlife website.  I had the same initial

> reaction about the materials.  I hope that more websites include  

> variable

> text coding, and make finding the options more easy!

>

> As far as access to the internet, Pew Internet & American Life  

> Project's

> research indicates an increasing number of older Americans both with  

> access

> (dial-up and broadband) as well as use for health information  

> (although

> access for health information across the ages was approx. 20% in late

> 2004).  More information can be found at www.pewinternet.org/.   

> Additional

> information specific to e-health and the "elderly" (although I don't

> consider 65+ as elderly) can be found at

> http://www.kff.org/entmedia/7223.cfm.

>

> It is also important to recognize the baby boomer effect will likely  

> follow

> through with web access across topic areas, including e-health.   

> Current

> research indicates that approximately 70-80% of 50-64 year olds have  

> access

> to and frequently (at least weekly) go online; these numbers are much

> higher than the current senior citizen population, and will likely  

> transfer

> over the next decade.  Therefore, developing and implementing health

> literacy and plain language, as well as mechanisms to facilitate web  

> access

> for these populations should be kept in mind.  Other things to  

> consider for

> the opposite end of the spectrum (adolescents and young adults):  

> mobile

> accessible websites.. but that's a whole different topic of  

> discussion!

>

> *********************************************************

> Benjamin T. Wise, MS, CHES

> Public Health Educator

> NYS Department of Health

> Bureau of Sexually Transmitted Disease Control

> 1168 Corning Tower, ESP

> Albany, NY 12237-0670

> Phone: (518) 471-3598

> Fax: (518) 474-3491

> e-mail: btw01 at health.state.ny.us

>

>

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