Table 4.
Patient perceptions of interpreting test results and the association to normality of laboratory test results and health literacy (n=199).
| Patient perception | Totala, n (%) | Normality of results (P value) | Health literacy (P value) | |
| Did your physician communicate with you about the test results before you viewed the results? | ||||
|
|
Yes | 112 (56.3) | .001b | .18 |
|
|
No | 87 (43.7) | .001b | .18 |
| Did you understand the result? | ||||
|
|
Yes | 120 (60.3) | .12 | .03c |
|
|
No | 9 (4.52) | .12 | .03c |
|
|
Not sure | 70 (35.2) | .12 | .03c |
| How did you know the test result was abnormal or normal?d | ||||
|
|
Visual cue on patient portals | 86 (43.2) | .98 | .02c |
|
|
Clinician’s explanation | 104 (52.3) | .60 | .21 |
|
|
Personal knowledge | 70 (35.2) | .90 | .50 |
|
|
Other | 11 (5.5) | .59 | .18 |
| What kinds of confusion did you have?d (n=136) | ||||
|
|
Normal versus abnormal laboratory result | 43 (31.6) | .84 | .64 |
|
|
Medical terminology | 83 (61.0) | .37 | .01c |
|
|
Meaning of the results | 54 (39.7) | .66 | .10 |
|
|
Effects on my future health | 47 (34.6) | .80 | .61 |
|
|
Treatment option | 27 (19.9) | .69 | .68 |
|
|
Other | 3 (2.2) | .87 | .16 |
| How did you feel when you saw the result? | ||||
|
|
Negative | 29 (14.6) | <.001e | .001b |
|
|
Positive | 144 (72.4) | <.001e | .001b |
|
|
Indifferent | 26 (13.1) | <.001e | .001b |
| What actions have you taken after viewing your test results?d | ||||
|
|
Spoke with family and/or friends | 101 (50.8) | .86 | .45 |
|
|
Looked up information on the web | 123 (61.8) | .79 | .60 |
|
|
Posted questions in online health forums | 22 (11.1) | <.001e | .89 |
|
|
Created graph of results | 9 (4.5) | .30 | .41 |
|
|
Emailed doctor | 19 (9.6) | .19 | .27 |
|
|
Called doctor | 22 (11.1) | .77 | .88 |
|
|
Made doctor’s appointment | 34 (17.1) | .09 | .09 |
|
|
Other | 11 (5.5) | .89 | .27 |
| Do you need more information to interpret test results? | ||||
|
|
Agree | 118 (59.3) | .005b | .01c |
|
|
Neither agree nor disagree | 58 (29.2) | .005b | .01c |
|
|
Disagree | 23 (11.6) | .005b | .01c |
| What types of information do you need?d (n=119) | ||||
|
|
Prognosis | 55 (46.2) | .007b | .68 |
|
|
Treatment options | 79 (66.4) | .86 | .11 |
|
|
What to do or ask | 57 (47.9) | .50 | .74 |
|
|
Lifestyle changes | 42 (35.3) | .50 | .72 |
|
|
Connecting with local support group | 4 (3.4) | .57 | .48 |
|
|
Other | 1 (0.8) | .45 | .27 |
aIn total, 4 participants could not remember the normality of their test results. These 4 participants were excluded from this analysis; therefore, the total number of cases was 199.
bResults with P value<.01.
cResults with P value<.05.
dParticipants can select more than one option for those questions.
eResults with P value<.001.