Low awareness of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease among patients at high metabolic risk.
OBJECTIVE
To assess awareness of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as a disease entity among individuals with and without metabolic risk factors in an outpatient clinical setting, and to evaluate interest in patient-centered education on NAFLD.


BACKGROUND
NAFLD is the most common chronic liver disease in the United States with up to 30% of the adult population affected. Individuals with metabolic risk factors, particularly, insulin resistance, diabetes, and overweight/obesity, have a high prevalence of NAFLD estimated up to 70%, yet little is known about the understanding and perceptions of NAFLD in these high-risk patients.


METHODS
A self-administered paper questionnaire was given to 368 adult patients presenting to an outpatient endocrinology clinic from February 2012 to October 2012.


RESULTS
A total of 302 surveys were completed for a response rate of 82%. Overall, 18% of all respondents reported awareness of NAFLD. Even among patients with self-reported major risk factors for NAFLD (overweight/obese, insulin resistant, or both overweight/obese and insulin resistant), the rates of awareness of NAFLD were low (19%, 23%, and 24%, respectively). A majority of survey respondents expressed interest in receiving patient-centered education on NAFLD (73%).


CONCLUSIONS
Among high metabolic risk individuals there is low awareness of NAFLD. The majority of those surveyed expressed interest in learning about NAFLD. These findings suggest opportunities to raise public awareness of NAFLD, particularly among patients at high metabolic risk, and to provide education to high-risk individuals with the goal of implementing early prevention strategies and optimizing care.
Divisions of *Gastroenterology and Hepatology ‡Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Departments of †Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado Biostatistics Consortium §Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora ∥Clinical Sciences Program, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO.
Amanda C
AC
Wieland
Pamela
P
Mettler
Michael T
MT
McDermott
Lori A
LA
Crane
Lisa C
LC
Cicutto
Kiran M
KM
Bambha
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires