Polyarthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis
Conditions
Keywords
Arthritis, Health literacy, Patient education, Self-efficacy
Brief summary
People with poor literacy may have worse health and less knowledge about how to manage their disease than patients at high reading levels. Patients with arthritis usually receive information on how to manage their disease that is written at an 11th grade reading level. The purpose of this study is to compare the health outcomes of patients with arthritis given either standard 11th grade level materials or interactive, in-person arthritis education along with materials written at a lower reading level.
Detailed description
Patients with poor literacy report worse health and know less about managing their disease than patients with better literacy. This study will compare the disease outcomes of arthritis patients at three different reading levels who receive either standard arthritis materials written at an 11th grade reading level or an in-person, interactive, text-free session along with lower reading level materials. The study will determine the most effective methods of educating patients with poor literacy about their disease. Patients with systemic inflammatory rheumatic conditions (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and seronegative polyarthritis) will be assessed and placed into one of three reading levels: 8th grade or lower; 9th to 11th grade; or 12th grade or higher. Patients from each reading level will be randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups. Group 1 will receive disease-specific material from the Arthritis Foundation written at an 11th grade reading level. Group 2 will receive plain language materials, an arthritis glossary, and a one-hour, in-person session with a study educator using interactive, text-free methods. The study educator will help the patient with reading-related problems either by study visit or by telephone for 6 months postsession. All patients will receive a medication calendar. Patients will be followed for one year after the intervention and will be assessed for changes in health status, disease activity, communication with the physician, self-management of their arthritis, understanding of and adherence to prescribed treatment, and satisfaction with their intervention.
Interventions
BEHAVIORAL11th grade reading level arthritis materials
BEHAVIORALInteractive in-person arthritis education
Sponsors
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Native English speaker * Patient at the Rheumatology Clinic at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts * Diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or seronegative polyarthritis
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Satisfaction with medical care | 6 months and 12 months | self report of satisfaction |
| Adherence to treatment | 6 months, 12 months | self report of medication use on standard form |
| Self efficacy | 6 months and 12 months | self report on self efficacy form |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Understanding of medication | 6 months and 12 months | open ended questionnaire of medication purpose |
| Appointment keeping | 6 and 12 months | Clinical record |
| Perceived usefulness of materials | 6months and 12 months | Interview |
| Heath Status | 6 months and 12 months | Health Assessment questionaire |
| Mental Health | 6 months and 12 months | SF-36 (5 items) |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Literacy-related problems encountered in management | 6 months and 12 months | Interview |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed