Evaluating the Association Between Health Literacy and Patient-Reported Outcome Measures After Distal Radius Fracture.

Abstract

Purpose: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are used to assess patients' outcomes during the treatment of distal radius fractures (DRFs). Limited health literacy is linked to poorer health outcomes. We asked whether limited health literacy is associated with PROM scores in patients with a DRF.

Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled adults ≥18 years of age with an isolated DRF from two urban hospitals within 6 weeks of injury or surgery. Participants completed a demographics survey, brief health literacy screen, and three PROMs: Quick Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH); Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Upper Extremity v2.0 Short Form-7a (PROMIS-UE); and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Associations between social determinants of health (SDOH) factors (health literacy, income, education, and preferred language) and PROMs were assessed using multivariable linear regressions. Propensity score analyses to control for confounding and postmatching regressions were conducted.

Results: Sixty-five patients participated in this study. In this sample, the mean age was 54 years, 65% were women, 26% had limited health literacy, 46% had public insurance, 18% completed at most a high school education, and 23% preferred a language other than English (PLOE). In multivariable analyses, limited health literacy and PLOE were associated with worse PROMIS-UE, and low income was associated with worse QuickDASH and NRS; associations between health literacy and QuickDASH and NRS were not statistically significant. Propensity score analyses indicated that all SDOH variables had confounding effects on associations between health literacy and PROMs. The postmatching regression analysis demonstrated that PLOE was associated with worse PROMIS-UE, and low income and PLOE with worse QuickDASH and NRS scores; limited health literacy was not significantly associated with any PROMs.

Conclusions: Low income and PLOE were significant predictors of worse PROM scores. After adjusting for other SDOH variables, limited health literacy was not significantly associated with PROM scores. These findings underscore the importance of recognizing and addressing the multiple interconnected SDOH aspects associated with PROM scores.

Type of study/level of evidence: Prognosis IV.