Health literacy, multimorbidity, and patient-perceived treatment burden in individuals with cardiovascular disease. A Danish population-based study

TY - JOUR

T1 - Health literacy, multimorbidity, and patient-perceived treatment burden in individuals with cardiovascular disease.

T2 - A Danish population-based study

AU - Friis, Karina

AU - Lasgaard, Mathias

AU - Pedersen, Marie Hauge

AU - Duncan, Polly

AU - Maindal, Helle Terkildsen

N1 - Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.

PY - 2019/10

Y1 - 2019/10

N2 - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate the association between: 1) multimorbidity and high treatment burden 2) health literacy and high treatment burden, and 3) the interaction between multimorbidity and health literacy in relation to high treatment burden.METHODS: We included respondents with cardiovascular disease who participated in a Danish population-based survey from 2017 (N = 2,111). Logistic regression analyses were used to study associations.RESULTS: The study showed that multimorbid individuals with cardiovascular disease were more likely to experience a high treatment burden than individuals with cardiovascular disease only (2+ additional conditions OR 4.16 [2.80-6.18]). Also, individuals with difficulties in understanding health information were more likely to report a high treatment burden than individuals who found it easy to understand information about health (OR 9.97 [6.23-15.95]). Finally, individuals with multimorbidity and difficulties in understanding health information had markedly higher odds of experiencing a high treatment burden.CONCLUSION: If individuals find it difficult to understand health information, there is a risk they might feel overwhelmed by the treatment.PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Healthcare professionals should be aware of health literacy challenges in planning medical treatment particularly for patients with both low health literacy levels and multimorbidity.

AB - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate the association between: 1) multimorbidity and high treatment burden 2) health literacy and high treatment burden, and 3) the interaction between multimorbidity and health literacy in relation to high treatment burden.METHODS: We included respondents with cardiovascular disease who participated in a Danish population-based survey from 2017 (N = 2,111). Logistic regression analyses were used to study associations.RESULTS: The study showed that multimorbid individuals with cardiovascular disease were more likely to experience a high treatment burden than individuals with cardiovascular disease only (2+ additional conditions OR 4.16 [2.80-6.18]). Also, individuals with difficulties in understanding health information were more likely to report a high treatment burden than individuals who found it easy to understand information about health (OR 9.97 [6.23-15.95]). Finally, individuals with multimorbidity and difficulties in understanding health information had markedly higher odds of experiencing a high treatment burden.CONCLUSION: If individuals find it difficult to understand health information, there is a risk they might feel overwhelmed by the treatment.PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Healthcare professionals should be aware of health literacy challenges in planning medical treatment particularly for patients with both low health literacy levels and multimorbidity.

KW - Cardiovascular disease

KW - Health literacy

KW - Multimorbidity

KW - Treatment burden

U2 - 10.1016/j.pec.2019.05.013

DO - 10.1016/j.pec.2019.05.013

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 31151781

SN - 0738-3991

VL - 102

SP - 1932

EP - 1938

JO - Patient Education and Counseling

JF - Patient Education and Counseling

IS - 10

ER -