BACKGROUND: Patients' knowledge regarding their oral anticoagulant (OAC) treatment for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF), their level of medication adherence, and health literacy are known to affect treatment outcomes. However, contemporary data regarding the relationships between these variables are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationships between anticoagulant knowledge, health literacy, and self-reported adherence in patients taking warfarin and the directly acting oral anticoagulants. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 48 patients with AF identified from general practices. The Anticoagulation Knowledge Tool (AKT) was used to assess anticoagulation knowledge; the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (s-TOFHLA) for health literacy; and the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS) for medication adherence. RESULTS: Participants had mean scores of 61.6 ± 15.8, 7.2 ± 1.1, and 24.7 ± 9.5 for the AKT, MMAS-8 and s-TOFHLA, respectively. Significant correlations were observed between anticoagulation knowledge and health literacy with medication adherence (0.37, P < .01 and .30, P < .05, respectively). Participants with inadequate health literacy had a significantly lower mean knowledge score than those with adequate health literacy (55.8 ± 15.9 vs 66.1 ± 14.4, P < .05). Participants who self-reported adherence to their OAC had significantly higher knowledge scores than those who did not (67.5 ± 13.3 vs 56.1 ± 16.2, P < .05). CONCLUSION: Significant correlations between health literacy, OAC knowledge, and adherence were observed, and these relationships should to be considered by health professionals responsible for monitoring patients who are prescribed anticoagulants. We also observed serious gaps in OAC knowledge. Interventions designed to optimize the outcomes of anticoagulant treatment need to address these factors.
BACKGROUND:Patients' knowledge regarding their oral anticoagulant (OAC) treatment for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF), their level of medication adherence, and health literacy are known to affect treatment outcomes. However, contemporary data regarding the relationships between these variables are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationships between anticoagulant knowledge, health literacy, and self-reported adherence in patients taking warfarin and the directly acting oral anticoagulants. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 48 patients with AF identified from general practices. The Anticoagulation Knowledge Tool (AKT) was used to assess anticoagulation knowledge; the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (s-TOFHLA) for health literacy; and the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS) for medication adherence. RESULTS:Participants had mean scores of 61.6 ± 15.8, 7.2 ± 1.1, and 24.7 ± 9.5 for the AKT, MMAS-8 and s-TOFHLA, respectively. Significant correlations were observed between anticoagulation knowledge and health literacy with medication adherence (0.37, P < .01 and .30, P < .05, respectively). Participants with inadequate health literacy had a significantly lower mean knowledge score than those with adequate health literacy (55.8 ± 15.9 vs 66.1 ± 14.4, P < .05). Participants who self-reported adherence to their OAC had significantly higher knowledge scores than those who did not (67.5 ± 13.3 vs 56.1 ± 16.2, P < .05). CONCLUSION: Significant correlations between health literacy, OAC knowledge, and adherence were observed, and these relationships should to be considered by health professionals responsible for monitoring patients who are prescribed anticoagulants. We also observed serious gaps in OAC knowledge. Interventions designed to optimize the outcomes of anticoagulant treatment need to address these factors.
Authors: Kai Sun; Jackie Szymonifka; Henghe Tian; Yaju Chang; Jennifer C Leng; Lisa A Mandl Journal: Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) Date: 2020-10 Impact factor: 4.794
Authors: Felipe F Mainka; Vinicius L Ferreira; Antonio M Mendes; Gustavo L Marques; Cassyano J Correr; Fernanda S Tonin; Roberto Pontarolo Journal: Braz J Cardiovasc Surg Date: 2022-05-23
Authors: Anna R LaRosa; Alexandra M Pusateri; Andrew D Althouse; Abigail S Mathier; Utibe R Essien; Jared W Magnani Journal: Int J Cardiol Date: 2019-06-20 Impact factor: 4.164
Authors: Özer Badak; Ali Rıza Demir; Tugay Önal; Taylan Akgün; Osman Can Yontar; Ömer Şatıroğlu; Hakan Duman; Ertuğrul Okuyan; Mehmet Melek; İbrahim Etem Dural Journal: Int J Cardiol Heart Vasc Date: 2022-03-02
Authors: Ana Cristina Cabellos-García; Antonio Martínez-Sabater; Miguel Ángel Díaz-Herrera; Vicente Gea-Caballero; Enrique Castro-Sánchez Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2021-07-09 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Colleen Sedney; Hawa O Abu; Katherine Trymbulak; Jordy Mehawej; Ziyue Wang; Molly E Waring; Jane Saczynski; David D McManus Journal: Patient Educ Couns Date: 2020-07-15