April 4-6, 2024 • Hyatt Regency • Lexington, KY
Innovations in Health Communication
Innovations in Health Communication
Abstract: Does Knowledge of Risk Facilitate a Conversation About Prediabetes With Your Doctor?
Context: Health care teams should emphasize to patients with overly high blood sugar levels (pre-diabetes state) that the evidence shows they can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes (T2D) by making specific lifestyle changes. Currently, of the 96 million (38%) of American adults with prediabetes, less than 14% are aware of their condition and fewer than 20% receive treatment with recommended programs.
Objective: Assess the adaptability of risk score incorporation in primary care practice, by looking further at patient perception, desire to know and perceived seriousness of the risk of developing diabetes.
Design:We performed a mixed-method study involving interview and survey of adult patients with a smart phone and no prior diagnosis of diabetes. After consent, each provided an in-person interview and paper survey of perceived T2D seriousness, personal risk and validity of T2D risk score assessment. They then completed the ADA T2D risk assessment on a phone app (PreventScriptsTM). The interview concluded by asking participants if they would you want their physician to know the risk score. After 3-5 days they were contacted by phone and interviewed, especially concentrating on whether risk results were shared with the physician.
Results: Prior to assessment, 24 of 25 patients expressed interest in knowing the results of a T2D risk test. Half thought themselves at risk for T2D prior to assessment, while 24% obtained an ADA T2D risk calculation considered high risk. While many (40%) did not perceive their risk result to be accurate, and 48% indicated that a high risk score predicts T2D progression <10% of the time, most remembered their risk score in a follow-up call (78% correct) showing impact. Nearly all (88%) desired that their physician know their assessment scores even while only 4 patients reported sharing the result with their PCP. Other visit needs and/or being a new patient were primary reasons for not discussing.
Conclusions: This study sought to assess the value of a pre-visit app-based assessment tool and potential for use in facilitating weight and diabetes prevention discussions. We found that knowledge of T2D risk and discussion of treatment strategies is of interest to patients, but remains difficult to incorporate in primary care visits in the limited time available.
Objective: Assess the adaptability of risk score incorporation in primary care practice, by looking further at patient perception, desire to know and perceived seriousness of the risk of developing diabetes.
Design:We performed a mixed-method study involving interview and survey of adult patients with a smart phone and no prior diagnosis of diabetes. After consent, each provided an in-person interview and paper survey of perceived T2D seriousness, personal risk and validity of T2D risk score assessment. They then completed the ADA T2D risk assessment on a phone app (PreventScriptsTM). The interview concluded by asking participants if they would you want their physician to know the risk score. After 3-5 days they were contacted by phone and interviewed, especially concentrating on whether risk results were shared with the physician.
Results: Prior to assessment, 24 of 25 patients expressed interest in knowing the results of a T2D risk test. Half thought themselves at risk for T2D prior to assessment, while 24% obtained an ADA T2D risk calculation considered high risk. While many (40%) did not perceive their risk result to be accurate, and 48% indicated that a high risk score predicts T2D progression <10% of the time, most remembered their risk score in a follow-up call (78% correct) showing impact. Nearly all (88%) desired that their physician know their assessment scores even while only 4 patients reported sharing the result with their PCP. Other visit needs and/or being a new patient were primary reasons for not discussing.
Conclusions: This study sought to assess the value of a pre-visit app-based assessment tool and potential for use in facilitating weight and diabetes prevention discussions. We found that knowledge of T2D risk and discussion of treatment strategies is of interest to patients, but remains difficult to incorporate in primary care visits in the limited time available.