What MS Veterans Want to Know about MS: Subjects and Formats

Background: Patient education is an integral part of comprehensive multiple sclerosis (MS) care. Persons with MS gain improved quality of life when they are knowledgeable about MS. In turn, this facilitates partnership with their MS clinicians for optimum outcomes. All MS Centers aim to provide high-quality patient education; however, there is insufficient evidence as to the focus and format of educational information preferred by MS patients.

Objectives: To determine the subjects and formats preferred by MS Veterans for obtaining MS information.

Methods: We initiated a quality-improvement patient-education project using a convenience sample of Veterans with MS. All Veterans presenting for care at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Puget Sound Health Care System MS Center are invited to complete a questionnaire on their prefernces in MS information, as well as the type of format in which they prefer to receive this information. The questionnaire utilizes a check-box format for ease in completion, with one free-text question to enable Veterans to indicate interest in any subject or format not previously listed. Veterans are queried from November 2017 through March 2018.

Subject preference choices included MS disease process; MS medications; MS research; MS symptom management, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions; and wellness interventions such as yoga, healthy diet, and meditation. 

Format preferences choices included print; DVD; internet via computer (desktop or laptop); and internet via smartphone. 

Patients were also asked which sources they utilized presently for MS information. Choices included MS clinicians; other MS patients, non-profit associations such as the National MS Society; websites for patients; websites for healthcare professionals; MS drug manufacturers' websites; and MS support groups.

Results: Results from questionnaires received through mid-December 2017 indicate that MS Veterans are especially interested in wellness. However, they are also quite interested in every other aspect of MS. Results to date for format preference are diverse.

Conclusions: MS Veterans are interested in information on all aspects of MS, and particularly they are interested in wellness methods for self-care and management of MS.

Future Plans: This QI program will be offered to other VA MS Centers for their use, which will allow analysis of a larger sample.