The Use of Large Language Models to Generate Education Materials about Uveitis

OBJECTIVE: To assess large language models in generating readable uveitis information and in improving the readability of online health information. DESIGN: Evaluation of technology. SUBJECTS: Not applicable. METHODS: ChatGPT and Bard were asked the following prompts: (prompt A) "considering that the average American reads at a 6th grade level, using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) formula, can you write patient-targeted health information on uveitis of around 6th grade level?" and (prompt B) "can you write patient-targeted health information on uveitis that is easy to understand by an average American?" Additionally, ChatGPT and Bard were asked the following prompt from the first-page results of Google when the term "uveitis" was searched: "Considering that the average American reads at a 6th grade level, using the FKGL formula, can you rewrite the following text to 6th grade level: insert text." The readability of each response was analyzed and compared using several metrics described below. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The FKGL is a highly validated readability assessment tool that assigns a grade level to a given text, the total number of words, sentences, syllables, and complex words. Complex words were defined as those with > 2 syllables. RESULTS: ChatGPT and Bard generated responses with lower FKGL scores (i.e., easier to understand) in response to prompt A compared with prompt B. This was only significant for ChatGPT (P < 0.0001). The mean FKGL of responses to ChatGPT (6.3 ± 1.2) was significantly lower (P < 0.0001) than Bard 10.5 ± 0.8. ChatGPT responses also contained less complex words than Bard (P < 0.0001). Online health information on uveitis had a mean grade level of 11.0 ± 1.4. ChatGPT lowered the FKGL to 8.0 ± 1.0 (P < 0.0001) when asked to rewrite the content. Bard was not able to do so (mean FKGL of 11.1 ± 1.6). CONCLUSIONS: ChatGPT can aid clinicians in producing easier-to-understand health information on uveitis for patients compared with already-existing content. It can also help with reducing the difficulty of the language used for uveitis health information targeted for patients. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.