Incremental levels of diagnostic information incentivize health-seeking in non-alcoholic fatty liver: a randomized clinical trial

Patients with chronic disorders like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) face important challenges adhering to diagnostic and treatment tracks. As NAFLD increases, the need to incentivize health-seeking behaviors grows. No evidence-based interventions to address this gap exist. The aim of the study was to estimate the effect of providing increasing levels of diagnostic information on medical care-seeking in adults newly diagnosed with NAFLD. We randomly assigned adults with a sonographic diagnosis of NAFLD at a check-up unit in Mexico to one of five groups. All groups received medical consultation. A: no further interventions; B: received multimedia educational material (MEM); C: MEM + NAFLD-fibrosis-score (NFS); D: MEM + transient elastography (TE); E: MEM + NFS + TE. 1209 participants were randomized, follow-up rate 91%; 82% male, BMI 30.5 ± 4 kg/m(2). There were no differences in the proportion of patients undergoing further diagnostic evaluation of liver fibrosis (A 0.4%, E 0.4%, P-for-trend = 0.269). Groups who received more information sought specialized medical care more frequently: A 22%, E 30% (P-for-trend = 0.047). A trend to receive treatment was also observed at higher levels of information: A 26.7%, E 36.3% (P-for-trend = 0.134). Increasing the amount of diagnostic information seemed to increase patient’s health-seeking. Tailoring the communication of information obtained for diagnosis could help to increase health-seeking in chronic disease patients. Trial registration: NCT01874249 (full date of first registration 11-06-2013).