Effects of a DXA result letter on satisfaction, quality of life, and osteoporosis knowledge: a randomized controlled trial
BackgroundUndiagnosed, or diagnosed and untreated osteoporosis (OP) increases the likelihood that falls result in hip fractures, decreased quality of life (QOL) and significant medical expenditures among older adults. We tested whether a tailored dual energy x ray absorptiometry (DXA) test result letter and an accompanying educational bone health brochure affected patient satisfaction, QOL, or OP knowledge.MethodsThe Patient Activation after DXA Result Notification (PAADRN) study was a double blinded, pragmatic, randomized trial which enrolled patients from 2012 to 2014. We randomized 7,749 patients presenting for DXA at three health care institutions in the United States who were 50 years old and able to understand English. Intervention patients received a tailored letter four weeks after DXA containing their results, 10 year fracture risk, and a bone health educational brochure. Control patients received the results of their DXA per the usual practices of their providers and institutions. Satisfaction with bone health care, QOL, and OP knowledge were assessed at baseline and 12 and 52 weeks after DXA. Intention to treat analyses used multiple imputation for missing data and random effects regression models to adjust for clustering within providers and covariates.ResultsAt 12 weeks 6,728 (86.8 and at 52 weeks 6,103 participants (78.8 completed their follow up interviews. The intervention group was more satisfied with their bone health care compared to the usual care group at both their 12 and 52 week follow ups (standardized effect size 0.28 at 12 weeks and 0.17 at 52 weeks, p 0.001) There were no differences between the intervention and usual care groups in QOL or OP knowledge at either time point.ConclusionsA tailored DXA result letter and bone health educational brochure sent to patients improved patient satisfaction with bone related health care.Trial registrationClinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT01507662 First received: December 8, 2011.
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders