Accessibility and Readability of Italian Public Health and Environmental Websites

Websites of public institutions are reliable sources of information for combating misinformation, but their impact on health literacy depends on accessibility and usability. This study assesses the readability and accessibility of Italian institutional websites focused on health and the environment, examining national (CNR, ISPRA, ISS, SNPA) and regional (ARPA) agencies. Accessibility, understood as accessible design, was evaluated using the Design Guidelines for Public Administration Digital Services 2022. The analysis focused on search engine ranking (Google), mobile adaptability, homepage graphical filtering, a color palette restricted to five shades, font type/size, and column/character counts. Readability was assessed by calculating the Gulpease index of five sampled articles per entity. The results revealed significant barriers to accessing and understanding content, especially for less-educated users. Regarding accessible design, over half of the websites failed to meet the recommended criteria for column width, font type, and text size, although the other elements generally complied with the guidelines. Furthermore, readability was particularly challenging for readers with primary or lower secondary education, and more than half of the articles remained difficult to read even for those with upper secondary schooling. These limitations ultimately prevent public agencies from effectively enhancing general and environmental health literacy and countering misinformation across the population.