Patient Understanding of Abnormal Imaging Findings Under Pennsylvania Act 112: A Call to Revise Mandated Notification Message Language

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Pennsylvania Act 112 notification reading level and presentation on patient understanding and anxiety.

Methods: Four notifications were developed by alternating 12th grade and 6th grade reading level Act 112 language with letters or infographics. Using Amazon Mechanical Turk, 909 US adult volunteers were randomly assigned to one notification followed by a survey. Participants who answered all 12 survey questions on understanding, anxiety, and sociodemographics were paid $0.10. Chi-square analysis and multivariate regression were used to determine the impact of notification type and sociodemographic data on understanding of communicated information and anxiety.

Results: Sixty percent of participants (489 of 821) correctly understood all three questions directly answered within notifications regarding Act 112 subject, next steps, and process for obtaining reports. Approximately half of respondents understood that notifications indirectly conveyed "definitely" or "possibly" abnormal test results (344 of 821 [42%] and 99 of 821 [12%], respectively). Compared with the 12th grade letter, correct understanding of all directly communicated information was lower with the 12th grade infographic after adjustment (odds ratio, 0.61; 95% confidence interval, 0.39-0.95; P = .028) and equivalent with the 6th grade infographic and letter (P = .744 and P = .316). Correct indirect understanding of abnormal test results was not associated with notification type after adjustment but was associated with higher anxiety (odds ratio, 2.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.57-1.35; P < .001).

Conclusions: Layperson understanding of information directly and indirectly communicated in Pennsylvania Act 112 is suboptimal, regardless of reading level or presentation. New Act 112 language is needed to improve patient understanding, which would ideally be coproduced with Pennsylvania patients, policymakers, and other relevant stakeholders.

Keywords: Act 112; imaging follow-up; patient-centered care.