We performed a double blind randomized controlled trial to investigate whether patients taking nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID) knew more about these drugs at followup depending on whether they were randomized to receiving or not receiving an NSAID information sheet. The patients were unaware they were in a study.
All patients received verbal education on the side effects of NSAID that was standardized and always given by the same rheumatologist. Thirty patients randomly received an NSAID information sheet and 26 patients did not. At next clinic followup, after reading a letter of explanation about the study and signing a consent form, patients completed a questionnaire asking about their knowledge of NSAID.
Outcome variables assessed within the questionnaire included whether NSAID : (1) can decrease inflammation; (2) help with pain; (3) cause stomach upset and bleeding in the bowels. None of these variables were statistically significant. The only variable that was statistically significantly different between the groups was their report of whether they had received an information sheet about NSAID (p<0.00004). A greater proportion of patients who received the NSAID information sheet correctly reported they had received one compared to those who had not received one and who said they had not received one (85% in the former group, 70% in the latter group). The group who received the NSAID information sheet were more apt to say that NSAID can help with their pain (odds ratio 6.1, p<0.05). Education level was positively correlated with knowledge (p<0.04). However, level of education explained only 11% of the variance in overall knowledge scores (r=0.34) among all patients.
An information sheet may not add educational value over verbal information by a physician in a clinic setting.