Preference for disclosure of information among patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

[Guest guest]

Arthritis Rheum 2001 Apr;45(2):136-9

Preference for disclosure of information among patients with rheumatoid

arthritis.

Fraenkel L, Bogardus S, Concato J, Felson D.

Department of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8031,

USA.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify preference for disclosure of information among

patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to examine sex-specific

correlates of information preference. METHODS: We interviewed patients with

RA and assessed preference for disclosure of information using 4 questions

from the previously validated " Information Preference Seeking Scale. " Three

questions addressed preference for disclosure of side effects and 1 question

addressed preference for disclosure of therapeutic options. Associations

between preference for information and patient characteristics were examined

using stepwise multiple linear regression. RESULTS: One hundred RA patients

(mean age 68+/-12 years; 73% female) were interviewed; 89 respondents agreed

or strongly agreed with all 4 statements reflecting a preference for full

disclosure, and an additional 8 respondents agreed or strongly agreed with 3

of the 4 statements. The mean score (+/- SD) for information preference was

86+/-13, on a scale from 0 to 100 where 100 reflected a strong preference

for full disclosure. In bivariate analyses, female sex and current

employment were associated with stronger preferences for being informed

(mean score for women 88+/-11, for men 80+/-15 [P = 0.02]; for employed

92+/-11, for unemployed 84+/-13 [P = 0.04]). Multivariate sex-specific

analyses demonstrated that current employment and higher education level

were positively associated with preference for disclosure among women and

men, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results of our survey suggest that RA

patients want to be fully informed about the risks associated with

medications and about alternative options. The challenge remaining for

rheumatologists is how to effectively communicate the risks and benefits

related to the many options that are currently available for RA patients.

Grant support:

AR-20613/AR/NIAMS

PMID: 11324776 [PubMed - in process]