Improving Health Literacy in Puerto Rican Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Background: Chronic diseases, like Multiple Sclerosis (MS), carry a high emotional burden for newly diagnosed patients. Individualized patient education may decrease anxiety, increase disease knowledge and improve treatment compliance and adherence to clinical visits.

Objectives: To develop and implement an educational program and provide individualized education to newly diagnosed patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) improving patient disease knowledge and adherence to follow up visits.

Methods: Fourteen Puerto Rican patients diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS were included. At the time of diagnosis, individualized education was implemented. An audiovisual module was created which included epidemiologic data, related symptoms, diagnostic criteria, treatment options and available patient resources. Patients completed a 6-items pre-test questionnaire to assess their baseline knowledge. A posttest was obtained to reassess knowledge gained during the same visit. A post encounter evaluation was completed at the end.

Results: Among our sample, overall pre-test score was 51%. After the educational module was provided, average post test score increased by 32% (p<0.05). Post encounter evaluation was relevant for an overall improvement in disease knowledge. Participants also recommend to other newly diagnosis patients to complete similar educational programs. A total of 87% of patients continued medical care at our outpatient MS clinics.

Conclusions: Implementation of an individualized MS education to newly diagnosed Puerto Rican patients improved knowledge of the disease and clinic visits adherence.