Interventions for improving health literacy in people with chronic kidney disease

Role of health literacy profiles in fluid management of individuals receiving haemodialysis: A cross-sectional study

AIMS

To identify health literacy profiles in individuals receiving haemodialysis and to explore how these profiles interact with individuals' self-efficacy, engagement with traditional dietary habits, self-reported fluid restriction and relative-interdialytic weight gain.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study engaging nephrology departments from four hospitals in Guangdong Province, China.

METHODS

A sample of 433 individuals receiving haemodialysis participated between December 2018 and July 2019. We assessed health literacy, self-efficacy and self-reported fluid restriction using the Health Literacy Questionnaire, the Fluid Self-efficacy Scale and the Fluid Adherence Subscale, respectively. Traditional dietary habits, including daily tea drinking, soup drinking and preserved food consumption, were measured using three yes/no questions. Relative-interdialytic weight gain was calculated by dividing the mean interdialytic weight gain (from three recent intervals) by dry weight. Latent profile analysis and structural equation modelling were performed.

RESULTS

Three health literacy profiles were identified: low, moderate and high. Compared to those in the low health literacy profile, individuals in high and moderate health literacy profiles demonstrated an indirect association with reduced relative-interdialytic weight gain. This reduction can be attributed to their higher self-efficacy levels, decreased reliance on dietary habits and higher self-reported fluid restrictions.

CONCLUSIONS

Most participants exhibited either low or moderate levels of health literacy. Improving health literacy has the potential to promote self-efficacy and foster effective fluid restriction, ultimately leading to a reduction in relative-interdialytic weight gain in individuals receiving haemodialysis.

IMPACT

This study reveals heterogeneity in health literacy levels among individuals receiving haemodialysis and illuminates the connections between an individual's entire spectrum of health literacy and fluid management. These findings provide valuable insights for developing person-centred fluid management interventions, especially for individuals with diverse cultural dietary backgrounds within the haemodialysis population.

REPORTING METHOD

We adhered to the STROBE guideline.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Patients were included only for collecting their data.

Is Primary Care Patient Experience Associated with Provider-Patient Language Concordance and Use of Interpreters for Spanish-preferring Patients: A Systematic Literature Review

BACKGROUND

Healthcare provided by a bilingual provider or with the assistance of an interpreter improves care quality; however, their associations with patient experience are unknown. We reviewed associations of patient experience with provider-patient language concordance (LC) and use of interpreters for Spanish-preferring patients.

METHOD

We reviewed articles from academic databases 2005-2023 following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and Joanna Briggs Institute Checklists to rate study quality. We reviewed 217 (of 2193) articles, yielding 17 for inclusion.

RESULTS

Of the 17 included articles, most articles focused on primary (n = 6 studies) or pediatric care (n = 5). All were cross-sectional, collecting data by self-administered surveys (n = 7) or interviews (n = 4). Most assessed the relationship between LC or interpreter use and patient experience by cross-sectional associations (n = 13). Two compared subgroups, and two provided descriptive insights into the conversational content (provider-interpreter-patient). None evaluated interventions, so evidence on effective strategies is lacking. LC for Spanish-preferring patients was a mix of null findings (n = 4) and associations with better patient experience (n = 3) (e.g., receiving diet/exercise counseling and better provider communication). Evidence on interpreter use indicated better (n = 2), worse (n = 2), and no association (n = 2) with patient experience. Associations between Spanish-language preference and patient experience were not significant (n = 5) or indicated worse experience (n = 4) (e.g., long waits, problems getting appointments, and not understanding nurses).

CONCLUSION

LC is associated with better patient experience. Using interpreters is associated with better patient experience but only with high-quality interpreters. Strategies are needed to eliminate disparities and enhance communication for all Spanish-preferring primary care patients, whether with a bilingual provider or an interpreter.

Exploring Patient Needs and Preferences in CKD Education: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study

Key Points

This largest to date patient survey study explores what patients with kidney disease want to know about treatments, such as dialysis or conservative management. A surprising number of patients want extensive doctor-like education, but are willing to spend only several hours on education. Patients are notably open to online and digital educational modalities—technology may allow for individualized and ongoing patient education.

Background

Despite efforts to educate individuals with CKD and thereby improve outcomes, studies have shown that a significant number of patients still report poor CKD knowledge. Thus, understanding patient needs and preferences is crucial for the development and implementation of an effective CKD educational program.

Methods

A paper survey was distributed to patients with CKD 21 years and older at a tertiary care hospital's outpatient nephrology clinic in Rochester, NY. Data on patient demographics; print and technological literacies; and preferences regarding topics, instructors, class formats, session frequency, duration, and peer support were gathered.

Results

The mean age of 337 patients was 65 years (±12.33 years), and the self-identified races were American Indian or Alaska Native (<1%), Asian (3%), Black (12.17%), Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander (<1%), White (83%), and Other (2%). Most of the patients (69%) never needed help with health instructions, and 68% of patients used a smartphone or computer every day. Key topics identified by patients included the definitions of CKD, creatinine, and GFR and information on kidney diet. Seventy-three percent of patients desired more than basic CKD information, with one in five even wanting to know everything a doctor knows. Forty-six percent were willing to attend classes, and 33% preferred using digital (video, computer, or smartphone) modalities. Patients were willing to attend an average of 3.6 classes, and most preferred hour-long classes. Most of the patients (46%) preferred a doctor as the educator, and 53% expressed interest in connecting with fellow patients for peer support.

Conclusions

Most patients with CKD are interested in comprehensive education about their disease. This research may offer insights into the optimal content and delivery of CKD educational programs by elaborating on patients' needs and the integration of online modalities to deliver content. Future person-centered educational programs for people with CKD are needed.

User Evaluation of a Chat-Based Instant Messaging Support Health Education Program for Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease: Preliminary Findings of a Formative Study

BACKGROUND

Artificial intelligence-driven chatbots are increasingly being used in health care, but few chat-based instant messaging support health education programs are designed for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to evaluate their effectiveness. In addition, limited research exists on the usage of chat-based programs among patients with CKD, particularly those that integrate a chatbot aimed at enhancing the communication ability and disease-specific knowledge of patients.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this formative study is to gather the data necessary to develop an intervention program of chat-based instant messaging support health education for patients with CKD. Participants' user experiences will form the basis for program design improvements.

METHODS

Data were collected from April to November 2020 using a structured questionnaire. A pre-post design was used, and a total of 60 patients consented to join the 3-month program. Among them, 55 successfully completed the study measurements. The System Usability Scale was used for participant evaluations of the usability of the chat-based program.

RESULTS

Paired t tests revealed significant differences before and after intervention for communicative literacy (t54=3.99; P<.001) and CKD-specific disease knowledge (t54=7.54; P<.001). Within disease knowledge, significant differences were observed in the aspects of CKD basic knowledge (t54=3.46; P=.001), lifestyle (t54=3.83; P=.001), dietary intake (t54=5.51; P<.001), and medication (t54=4.17; P=.001). However, no significant difference was found in the aspect of disease prevention. Subgroup analysis revealed that while the findings among male participants were similar to those of the main sample, this was not the case among female participants.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings reveal that a chat-based instant messaging support health education program may be effective for middle-aged and older patients with CKD. The use of a chat-based program with multiple promoting approaches is promising, and users' evaluation is satisfactory.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05665517; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05665517.

Association between multiple chronic conditions and insufficient health literacy: cross-sectional evidence from a population-based sample of older adults living in Switzerland

BACKGROUND

Health literacy is the ability to find, understand, assess, and apply health information. Individuals suffering from multiple chronic conditions have complex healthcare needs that may challenge their health literacy skills. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between multimorbidity, the number of chronic conditions, and health literacy levels in a sample of adults aged 58+ in Switzerland.

METHODS

We used data from 1,615 respondents to a paper-and-pencil questionnaire administered as part of wave 8 (2019/2020) of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) in Switzerland. Health literacy was measured using the short version of the European Health Literacy Survey questionnaire. The final score ranged from 0 to 16 and was categorised into three health literacy levels: inadequate (0-8), problematic (9-12), and sufficient (13-16). The number of chronic conditions was self-reported based on a pre-defined list. Associations were examined using multivariable ordinary least squares and ordered probit regression models, controlling for key socio-demographic characteristics.

RESULTS

Overall, 63.5% of respondents reported having at least one chronic condition. Respondents who reported one, two, and three or more chronic conditions were more likely to have lower health literacy scores compared to respondents who did not report any chronic condition (p<0.05, p<0.01, and p<0.001, respectively). Suffering from two and three or more chronic conditions (vs. no chronic condition) was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of having inadequate or problematic health literacy levels (both p-values <0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest a need to improve health literacy in older adults suffering from chronic conditions. Improved health literacy could constitute a promising lever to empower individuals to better self-manage their health to ultimately reduce the double burden of chronic diseases and insufficient health literacy in this vulnerable population.