Tailoring patient information to encourage patient engagement

This paper proposes a new method for tailoring health information based on an individual’s dominant attitudes and information processing style which can be digitally operationalized and delivered direct to the patient. This individualized approach is based on principles previously used as the basis for mass-marketing campaigns, including smoking and other public health issues but not previously used for structuring treatment recommendations in individual patient consultations. In previous work we have shown that patient understanding of their medical condition is influenced by whether a medical report is expressed in their preferred information processing style or expresses their dominant motivational attitude. In this work we build on these findings to examine the connection between a patient’s perceived understanding of the content of a medical report and their willingness to actively engage with their doctor. Because engagement has been linked to patient compliance, this has important implications for patient adherence to treatment.