Journal
MEDICAL DECISION MAKING
Volume 36, Issue 4, Pages 550-556Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
DOI: 10.1177/0272989X16632197
Keywords
shared decision making; health literacy; medically underserved patients
Funding
- Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation
- Siteman Cancer Center [P30 CA91842]
- Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM)
- WUSM Faculty Diversity Scholars Program
- Merck
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Introduction. Participation in the decision-making process and health literacy may both affect health outcomes; data on how these factors are related among diverse groups are limited. This study examined the relationship between health literacy and decision-making preferences in a medically underserved population. Methods. We analyzed a sample of 576 primary care patients. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the independent association of health literacy (measured by the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine-Revised) and patients' decision-making preferences (physician directed or patient involved), controlling for age, race/ethnicity, and gender. We tested whether having a regular doctor modified this association. Results. Adequate health literacy (odds ratio [OR] = 1.7; P = 0.009) was significantly associated with preferring patient-involved decision making, controlling for age, race/ethnicity, and gender. Having a regular doctor did not modify this relationship. Males were significantly less likely to prefer patient-involved decision making (OR = 0.65; P = 0.024). Discussion. Findings suggest health literacy affects decision-making preferences in medically underserved patients. More research is needed on how factors, such as patient knowledge or confidence, may influence decision-making preferences, particularly for those with limited health literacy.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available