Numeracy of multiple sclerosis patients: A comparison of patients from the PERCEPT study to a German probabilistic sample. Issue 1 (January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gaissmaier, Wolfgang; Giese, Helge; Galesic, Mirta; Garcia-Retamero, Rocio; Kasper, Juergen; Kleiter, Ingo; Meuth, Sven G.; Köpke, Sascha; Heesen, Christoph
• Is Part Of: Patient education and counseling. Volume 101:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: 74
• Page End: 78
• Publication Date: 2018-01
• Subjects: Multiple sclerosis -- Shared decision-making -- Cognition -- Numeracy; Patient education -- Periodicals; Health counseling -- Periodicals; Health education -- Periodicals; Counseling -- Periodicals; Patient Education -- Periodicals; Éducation des patients -- Périodiques; Counseling -- Périodiques; Éducation sanitaire -- Périodiques; 615.5071
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2017.07.018
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0738-3991

Abstract

Highlights: MS patients' numeracy was not impaired compared to a probabilistic national sample. In both samples, numeracy was higher for men and the highly educated. Disease variables did not predict numeracy beyond demographics. Abstract: Objective: A shared decision-making approach is suggested for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. To properly evaluate benefits and risks of different treatment options accordingly, MS patients require sufficient numeracy – the ability to understand quantitative information. It is unknown whether MS affects numeracy. Therefore, we investigated whether patients' numeracy was impaired compared to a probabilistic national sample. Methods: As part of the larger prospective, observational, multicenter study PERCEPT, we assessed numeracy for a clinical study sample of German MS patients ( N = 725) with a standard test and compared them to a German probabilistic sample ( N = 1001), controlling for age, sex, and education. Within patients, we assessed whether disease variables (disease duration, disability, annual relapse rate, cognitive impairment) predicted numeracy beyond these demographics. Results: MS patients showed a comparable level of numeracy as the probabilistic national sample (68.9% vs. 68.5% correct answers, P = 0.831). In both samples, numeracy was higher for men and the highly educated. Disease variables did not predict numeracy beyond demographics within patients, and predictability was generally low. Conclusion: This sample of MS patients understood quantitative information on the same level as the general population. Practice implications: There is no reason to withhold quantitative information from MS patients.