Evaluating a Low-Literacy Discharge Medication Education Tool

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Coronary Artery Disease; Congestive Heart Failure

Treatments: Other: Medication Education Tool

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00408733

G06-09-104-01

Details and patient eligibility

About

Recent studies have demonstrated that patients sub-optimally understand hospital discharge medication instructions Health literacy has been shown to be an important factor in patient understanding of medical information , and following medication instructions.

The primary aim of this project is to test the efficacy of a low-literacy discharge medication education tool on medication adherence, and patient knowledge and understanding of inpatient discharge medications, in a low-income population with low health literacy levels. This evaluation is a prospective trial with patients randomly assigned to either receiving this tool or receiving the current standard of care. Given the complexity of the discharge medication regimen for the conditions of congestive heart failure (CHF) and coronary artery disease (CAD), and the proven effectiveness of these medications in the post discharge period, this trial will focus on the subpopulation of patients hospitalized with these two conditions.

Enrollment: 287 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Patient inclusion criteria will be:

• 18 years of age or greater
• Admission to the internal medical or cardiology services at LAC/USC Medical Center
• Discharge directly from the medical service to home
• During admission, being evaluated or treated for congestive heart failure or coronary artery disease.

Patient Exclusion criteria :

• Moderate or severe cognitive dysfunction
• Severe psychiatric disability such that the patient has, or there is an application for, a conservator, or any psychiatric illness with current psychotic features
• Not having speaking proficiency in either English or Spanish language.
• If the patient was previously enrolled in the study on a prior hospitalization, he or she will also be excluded.

Nurse Inclusion Criteria:

• Performing the patient education at hospital discharge for a patient enrolled in the study

Trial design

287 participants in 2 patient groups

1

No Intervention group

2

Experimental group

Description:

Intervention

Treatment:

Other: Medication Education Tool