Laura M Mackey1, Catherine Blake1, Maire-Brid Casey2, Camillus K Power3, Ray Victory4, Conor Hearty2, Brona M Fullen5. 1. School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin 4, Ireland. 2. Pain Service Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Eccles Street, Dublin 7, Ireland. 3. Pain Service, Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland. 4. Pain Service St. Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin 4, Ireland. 5. School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin 4, Ireland; UCD Centre for Translational Pain Research, University College Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: Brona.fullen@ucd.ie.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To establish if health literacy (HL) is linked to poorer outcomes and behaviours in patients with chronic pain. DESIGN: A prospective cross-sectional observational study. SETTING: Multidisciplinary out-patient pain clinics in three university teaching hospitals. PATIENTS: New patients (n=131) referred to the pain clinic with a history of chronic pain (>12 weeks). METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed to chronic pain patients attending their first appointment. Those eligible for inclusion were newly referred patients who had pain lasting longer than three months. The questionnaire comprised the following sections: demographics, chronic pain status and disease-related knowledge, quality of life (SF-36), beliefs (Beliefs About Pain Control Questionnaire), and a validated HL tool (Newest Vital Sign). RESULTS: Of the 131 participants recruited, 54% had inadequate HL. The group was subsequently stratified according to HL level. In bivariate analysis, inadequate HL was associated with older age (p<0.001), being unemployed or retired (p=0.005), less education (p<0.001), lower income, increased comorbidities (p=0.038), being less likely to utilise allied health services (p=0.001), poorer disease-related knowledge (p=0.002), and poorer beliefs about pain (p<0.05). In multivariate analysis, disease-related knowledge (OR 2.5, 95%CI 1.0 to 6.3, p=0.05) and beliefs about pain (B=-2.3, S.E=0.9, p=0.01) remained independently associated with HL. CONCLUSION: Inadequate HL is prevalent in chronic pain patients, and may impact on the development of certain characteristics necessary for effective self-management.
OBJECTIVE: To establish if health literacy (HL) is linked to poorer outcomes and behaviours in patients with chronic pain. DESIGN: A prospective cross-sectional observational study. SETTING: Multidisciplinary out-patientpain clinics in three university teaching hospitals. PATIENTS: New patients (n=131) referred to the pain clinic with a history of chronic pain (>12 weeks). METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed to chronic painpatients attending their first appointment. Those eligible for inclusion were newly referred patients who had pain lasting longer than three months. The questionnaire comprised the following sections: demographics, chronic pain status and disease-related knowledge, quality of life (SF-36), beliefs (Beliefs About Pain Control Questionnaire), and a validated HL tool (Newest Vital Sign). RESULTS: Of the 131 participants recruited, 54% had inadequate HL. The group was subsequently stratified according to HL level. In bivariate analysis, inadequate HL was associated with older age (p<0.001), being unemployed or retired (p=0.005), less education (p<0.001), lower income, increased comorbidities (p=0.038), being less likely to utilise allied health services (p=0.001), poorer disease-related knowledge (p=0.002), and poorer beliefs about pain (p<0.05). In multivariate analysis, disease-related knowledge (OR 2.5, 95%CI 1.0 to 6.3, p=0.05) and beliefs about pain (B=-2.3, S.E=0.9, p=0.01) remained independently associated with HL. CONCLUSION: Inadequate HL is prevalent in chronic painpatients, and may impact on the development of certain characteristics necessary for effective self-management.
Authors: Elena Castarlenas; Elisabet Sánchez-Rodríguez; Rubén Roy; Catarina Tomé-Pires; Ester Solé; Mark P Jensen; Jordi Miró Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-11-28 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Aleksandra Czerw; Urszula Religioni; Filip Szymański; Katarzyna Sygit; Krzysztof Zdziarski; Dominika Mękal; Grażyna Dykowska; Anna Kłak; Agnieszka Barańska; Piotr Merks; Mariola Borowska; Elżbieta Cipora; Monika Pajewska Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-12-11 Impact factor: 3.390