A printed information leaflet about MRI and radiologists improves neuroradiology patient health literacy

To determine the health literacy benefit of a printed informational leaflet for patients scheduled to undergo brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.

A two-page leaflet that provided an overview of MRI and the role of radiologists was prepared and given to outpatients scheduled to undergo brain MRI examinations while in the waiting room. A survey composed mainly of yes/no and Likert scale questions pertaining to the leaflet, as well as patient demographics, was administered to the patients.

A total of 147 patients completed the survey, of which 110 (75%) had undergone a prior MRI scan, 120 (82%) stated that their ordering provider explained the reason for the MRI scan, and less than 1% reported having referenced online resources related to MRI. The average score for how well patients understood the MRI scan procedure and how it is reviewed was 4.16/5 (standard deviation 1.18) before versus 4.39/5 (standard deviation 1.08) after reading the leaflet, which was a statistically significant improvement based on the Wilcoxon signed-rank test ( P < 0.01). The score for how helpful the reading material was for explaining what is MRI was 4.06/5 (standard deviation 1.02) and the score for how helpful the reading material was for explaining what is a radiologist was 4.18/5 (standard deviation 0.98).

A printed leaflet about MRI and radiologists can serve as an opportunity to educate patients about certain aspects of their scans during their stay in the waiting room.