Scientific Oral Presentations: Patient Perceptions and Social Determinants
ARS064 - Health literacy in rhinology patients
Friday, April 29, 2022
8:28 AM – 8:34 AM CT
Location: Reunion Ballroom C
Miryam Makutonin; Douglas Farquhar, Resident Physician; Garret Berk, Medical Student; Keonho Kong, MD; Mark Chaskes, MD; Brian Thorp, MD, FARS; Brent Senior, MD, FARS; Adam Kimple, MD, FARS; Charles Ebert, MD, FARS
Postdoctoral fellowship researcher Unc Jordan University of Science and Technology Chapel hill, North Carolina
Background: Patients with lower health literacy tend to have worse medical outcomes due to decreased medication compliance, worse decision-making, and reduced capacity to self-manage disease. Health literacy can be assessed using validated tools such as the brief health literacy screening tool. The purpose of this study was to determine if health literacy in Rhinology patients negatively affects either subjective or objective measurements of sinus disease.
Methods: As part of patient intake, new, established, and recovered post-surgical patients at our clinic were routinely screened for health literacy and RSDI scores. We identified a retrospective cohort of 218 patients and abstracted their demographics, past medical history, RSDI score, and Lund-Mckay score. Statistical analysis was performed to determine if health literacy was associated with subjective or objective outcomes.
Results: The patients' mean age was 50.2 years, 56% were females, the mean RSDI score was 20, mean health literacy score was 19. A statistically significant decrease in RSDI total scores correlated to an increase in health literacy (p=0.0001). This also translated to RSDI subdomains [Emotional (p=0.002), Functional (p=0.0003), Physical (p=0.0001)]. There was no statistical difference between age and health literacy (p=0.99) or yearly income and health literacy (p=0.58).
Conclusion: Health Literacy is an essential factor in how patients receive medical care and affects their outcomes. However, this study demonstrates that patients with lower health literacy have a worse sinonasal quality of life. Therefore, rhinologists need to be aware of this discrepancy and think of educational tools to help patients with low health literacy.