Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Mar 2021
Randomized Controlled TrialEvaluation of a Discussion Guide to Promote Patient Understanding of Menopause and Informed Treatment Decision-Making.
Background: Patient-provider communication surrounding menopause symptoms and treatment is often limited. We developed and evaluated a health literacy-appropriate discussion guide to support patient education. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional randomized study was conducted among 100 English-speaking women, aged 45-60 years, in Chicago, IL, and Durham, NC. Participants were randomly assigned to review either the discussion guide or a standard education material (n = 50 per arm) and to complete an open book knowledge questionnaire; they then rated the appearance and quality of both materials. ⋯ M = 18.1, SD = 2.6; p < 0.001); 82.0% of those exposed to the discussion guide correctly answered ≥85% of knowledge items compared with only 48.0% of those reviewing the standard material (p < 0.001). In multivariable analyses, participants receiving the discussion guide displayed significantly greater knowledge in comparison with those receiving the standard material regardless of whether knowledge was examined as a score (∝ = 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.9-2.9, p < 0.001) or 85% threshold (odds ratio: 5.7, 95% CI: 2.0-16.2, p < 0.001). More than two-thirds of women (68%) preferred the discussion guide; it was rated highly in terms of appearance and content. Conclusions: The discussion guide improved understanding of menopause symptoms and treatment options in comparison with a current standard and was well received by a diverse audience.