Abstract:   Efficacy study of multimedia to educate rheumatoid arthritis patients

Background/Purpose:

The level of health literacy varies among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in their ability to understand and act upon information presented in a clinic appointment. The purpose of this randomized trial was to improve patient clinician communication in the rheumatology office by assessing the efficacy of multimedia compared to a handout for RA patients with the goals of improving patients’ scores on the self reported Medication Adherence Questionnaire (MAQ) at one month post intervention. Scores of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), and program evaluation were also assessed. 

Methods:

200 RA patients in a Midwestern rheumatology outpatient clinic were recruited over 10 months. All participants provided informed consent. They were randomized 1:1 to receive a handout or a 15 minute audio visual Power Point program. At baseline all participants completed a demographics questionnaire, MAQ-5 questions, BIPQ-8 questions, and HAQ identified only by study number. Participants randomized to the handout group took the document home to read. Participants randomized to the multimedia group were shown the program while in the office and sent home with a handout and CD copy of the program. At baseline all participants were sent home with the 3 follow up questionnaires (MAQ, BIPQ, and HAQ) and program evaluation to complete and mail back. At one month all participants were called and reminded to complete and return the forms. Study data were entered and managed using the  Research Electronic Data Capture tool (REDCap).

Results:

The multimedia group had significant improvement in the MAQ score of skipped doses (p=0.006) and experienced significantly fewer physical and emotional symptoms compared to the handout group (p=0.03, p=0.03 respectively). Both groups had improvement in MAQ and BIPQ scores.  No change was seen in the HAQ scores of either group. Upon program evaluation both groups equally reported a better understanding of rheumatoid arthritis.

Conclusion:

Multimedia was superior to handout to educate RA patients about adherence to medications which resulted in improved physical and emotional symptoms. Healthcare providers should use multimedia to educate RA patients about causes of disease, RA effects on the body, treatments for RA, self-care strategies, and resources to access more information about their disease. Multimedia can be used as a tool to address health literacy and improve patient clinician communication.

---

« Back to 2013 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/efficacy-study-of-multimedia-to-educate-rheumatoid-arthritis-patients/