Jennifer T. Anger|Una Lee|Brita M. Mittal|Matthew Pollard|Christopher M. Tarnay|Sally L. Maliski|Rebecca G. Rogers
Health Literacy and Disease Understanding Among Aging Women With Pelvic Floor Disorders
objectives studies health literacy disease understanding among women pelvic floor disorders published conducted pilot study explore relationship disease understanding health literacy age diagnosis type among women urinary incontinence pelvic organ prolapse methods study subjects recruited urology urogynecology specialty clinics based chief complaint suggestive urinary incontinence pelvic prolapse subjects completed questionnaires assess symptom severity health literacy measured using test functional health literacy adults patientphysician interactions audiotaped office visit immediately afterward patients asked describe diagnoses treatments discussed physician record checklist followup phone call checklist administered 2 3 days later results total 36 women pelvic floor disorders aged 42 94 years enrolled found health literacy scores decreased increasing age however patients low percentage recall pelvic floor diagnoses poor understanding pelvic floor condition despite high health literacy scores patients pelvic prolapse seemed worse recall disease understanding patients urinary incontinence conclusions high health literacy assessed test functional health literacy adults may correlate patients ability comprehend complex functional conditions pelvic floor disorders lack understanding may lead unrealistic treatment expectations inability give informed consent treatment dissatisfaction care better methods improve disease understanding needed