Misinformation in Patient Handouts About Upper Extremity Conditions

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Health Literacy
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Patient education materials are vital for managing upper extremity conditions.
• Existing literature highlights variability in the quality of patient information.
• Cognitive biases can impact patient understanding and adherence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate upper extremity handouts for accuracy, clarity, and potential reinforcement of unhelpful cognitive biases.
• To assess the readability and actionability of patient-facing medical information.

Main Methods:

• Handouts from electronic medical records and professional associations were reviewed.
• Information was categorized as inaccurate, distracting, or reinforcing cognitive biases.
• Reading level, quality, and patient understandability were assessed.

Main Results:

• An average of 1.9 inaccurate statements, 0.73 distracting statements, and 2.1 bias-reinforcing statements were found per 100 words.
• Electronic medical record handouts were of higher quality but not always more understandable.
• Significant rates of inaccuracies and unhelpful cognitive elements were identified.

Conclusions:

• Patient handouts for upper extremity conditions often contain inaccuracies and distracting information.
• There is a need to enhance the readability, understandability, and empowering nature of patient education materials.
• Improving handout content can support better patient comprehension and adaptive cognitions.