title: The effects of two health information texts on patient recognition memory: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effects of two health information texts on patient recognition memory, a key aspect of comprehension.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trial (N=60), comparing the effects of experimental and control colorectal cancer (CRC) screening texts on recognition memory, measured using a statement recognition test, accounting for response bias (score range -0.91 to 5.34). The experimental text had a lower Flesch-Kincaid reading grade level (7.4 versus 9.6), was more focused on addressing screening barriers, and employed more comparative tables than the control text.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recognition memory was higher in the experimental group (2.54 versus 1.09, t=-3.63, P=0.001), including after adjustment for age, education, and health literacy (β=0.42, 95% CI: 0.17, 0.68, P=0.001), and in analyses limited to persons with college degrees (β=0.52, 95% CI: 0.18, 0.86, P=0.004) or no self-reported health literacy problems (β=0.39, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.71, P=0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An experimental CRC screening text improved recognition memory, including among patients with high education and self-assessed health literacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CRC screening texts comparable to our experimental text may be warranted for all screening-eligible patients, if such texts improve screening uptake.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, Davis, USA.
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Freed
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Tonantzin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Franks
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Kravitz
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jerant
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D032882:Comprehension; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008568:Memory; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011932:Reading; D021641:Recognition, Psychology
keywords: Colorectal neoplasms; Early detection of cancer; Educational status; Health literacy; Mass screening; Mental recall; Patient education as topic; Patient education handout; Randomized controlled trial; Reading
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