Abstract
BackgroundThe objective of this study was to develop an assessment tool, ReproKnow, to evaluate the reproductive health knowledge of women with a wide range of rheumatic diseases.MethodsThe 10-item multiple-choice questionnaire was developed with feedback from a panel of content experts and female patients with rheumatic diseases. Construct validity using known-groups analysis was evaluated through comparison of median total ReproKnow scores between rheumatology fellows and nurses. Female patients aged 18–50 years were recruited to take ReproKnow and demographic questionnaires in two outpatient clinics. Associations between patients’ mean total knowledge scores and demographic characteristics were assessed using independent-sample t-tests. Questions were also categorized by topical area, and the percentages were calculated.ResultsThe completion rate of questions in ReproKnow was 100% across all users. Median ReproKnow scores were significantly higher among rheumatology fellows than among nurses (p = 0.045). The 153 patients recruited to the study had at least one of 15 rheumatic diseases. Patients’ mean knowledge score was 5.05 (SD 2.24) out of a possible high score of 10. Patients who were younger, White, and more educated had significantly higher scores than did other patients (p’s < 0.05). Patients who bore children after their disease diagnosis had higher knowledge scores than did women whose children were born prior to their diagnosis; in contrast, women with histories of surgical sterilization or hysterectomy had lower knowledge scores than other women. Knowledge scores of women who used potentially fetotoxic medications did not vary from the remainder of the sample. Patients demonstrated gaps in knowledge about birth outcomes, contraceptive efficacy, and breastfeeding safety.ConclusionsInitial testing of ReproKnow suggests that it may be a promising tool to assess the reproductive health knowledge of women with diverse rheumatic diseases. Specific knowledge deficits elicited from ReproKnow may be important targets for future educational interventions.
Highlights
The objective of this study was to develop an assessment tool, ReproKnow, to evaluate the reproductive health knowledge of women with a wide range of rheumatic diseases
(2019) 3:40 may include planning their pregnancies for a time when their diseases are quiescent or adequately controlled on safe anti-rheumatic drugs, or by selecting non-hormonal birth control methods depending on their thrombotic risk— practices that have been shown to improve health outcomes, and that are supported by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the European League Against Rheumatism [10, 11]
A woman who erroneously believes that hormonal contraception is incompatible with her rheumatic disease may avoid using birth control, which could increase her risk for an unintended pregnancy that occurs while her disease is active or while using a fetotoxic anti-rheumatic drug
Summary
The objective of this study was to develop an assessment tool, ReproKnow, to evaluate the reproductive health knowledge of women with a wide range of rheumatic diseases. Women with rheumatic diseases may face considerable reproductive health challenges during their childbearing years Rheumatic diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjogren’s syndrome, inflammatory arthritis, the inflammatory myopathies, It is important that women are empowered to make well-informed reproductive decisions that optimize their chances for favorable health outcomes. Such decisions (2019) 3:40 may include planning their pregnancies for a time when their diseases are quiescent or adequately controlled on safe anti-rheumatic drugs, or by selecting non-hormonal birth control methods depending on their thrombotic risk— practices that have been shown to improve health outcomes, and that are supported by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the European League Against Rheumatism [10, 11]. Young women with inflammatory arthritis in another study relied on unverified blogs, social media, and online forums to find relevant information about arthritis and pregnancy [13]
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