Unmet information needs about the delivery of rheumatology health care services: A survey among patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objective: To measure patient-perceived knowledge and information need regarding regional health care services and their determinants among 400 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to identify the preferred method of information provision. Methods: Postal survey on knowledge and information need (content and accessibility) of 18 regional health care services and preferences for the mode of delivery of information. Logistic regression analyses determined which factors were associated with insufficient knowledge and information need. Results: Two-hundred and thirty-seven (94%) patients reported insufficient knowledge about the contents and 235 (94%) about the accessibility of at least one health care services, whereas 172 patients (69%) reported an information need about the content and 154 (61%) on the accessibility. Age was significantly associated with knowledge whereas both age and physical functioning were significantly associated with information need. Seventy-nine percent of the patients mentioned written information, 21% the Internet and 12% personal contact with a professional as a preferred method of information delivery. Conclusion: Many RA patients reported a lack of knowledge or information need concerning the contents and accessibility of regional health care services. Practice implications: Active strategies to provide practical information about health care services are needed for RA patients.