Benjamin Powers|Maren K. Olsen|Eugene Ž. Oddone|Carolyn T. Thorpe|Hayden B. Bosworth
Literacy and blood pressure – do healthcare systems influence this relationship? A cross-sectional study
Durham VA Health Care System|Durham VA Health Care System|Durham VA Health Care System|Durham VA Health Care System|Durham VA Health Care System
limited literacy common among patients chronic conditions associated poor health outcomes sought determine association literacy blood pressure primary care patients hypertension determine relationship consistent across distinct systems healthcare deliverywe conducted crosssectional study 1224 patients hypertension utilizing baseline data two separate similar randomized controlled trials patients enrolled primary care clinics veterans affairs healthcare system vahs university healthcare system uhs durham north carolina compared association literacy primary outcome systolic blood pressure sbp secondary outcomes diastolic blood pressure dbp blood pressure bp control across two different healthcare systemspatients read 9th grade level comprised 384 patients vahs 275 patients uhs significant interaction literacy healthcare system sbp adjusted analyses sbp patients limited literacy 12 mmhg lower patients adequate literacy vahs 95 ci 48 23 61 mmhg higher patients adequate literacy uhs 95 ci 21 101 p 0003 test interaction literacy healthcare system interaction statistically significant dbp bp controlthe relationship patient literacy systolic blood pressure varied significantly across different models healthcare delivery attributes healthcare delivery system may influence relationship literacy health outcomes