Highlights
- •Participants living with multiple sclerosis (MS) enrolled in an online course about MS reported being satisfied with their perceived healthcare quality and accessibility.
- •The number of healthcare visits, MS knowledge, health literacy, self-efficacy, and quality of life were all positively associated with perceived healthcare quality and accessibility in this cohort.
- •Participation in the Understanding MS massive open online course had no effect on healthcare utilization or perceived healthcare quality and accessibility.
ABSTRACT
Background
People living with multiple sclerosis (MS) need access to high quality healthcare
and support services. However, many people with MS do not have access to the services
that they need.
Objective
To survey healthcare utilisation and perceived quality and accessibility among people
living with MS who enrolled in a free online course about MS (the Understanding MS
massive open online course (MOOC)) and to evaluate the impact of course completion
on these outcomes.
Methods
This longitudinal cohort study evaluated participants before they began the course,
immediately following completion, and six months following completion. We describe
baseline healthcare utilisation and perceived accessibility and quality (N=813) and
identify factors associated with satisfaction using chi-square and t-tests. We evaluate
the impact of course completion among a sub-group (N=123) of participants who both
completed the course and completed all three assessments using paired t-tests. We
determined effect size using Cohen's D.
Results
Most participants accessed at least one healthcare service in the month before beginning
the course and were satisfied with their healthcare accessibility and quality. Participants
who reported being satisfied with their healthcare quality and accessibility had more
healthcare visits, and greater MS knowledge, health literacy, quality of life and
self-efficacy. Completing the Understanding MS MOOC had no effect on perceived healthcare
accessibility or quality.
Conclusion
Our study suggests that people with MS who access online educational resources are
likely to be well resourced in other areas as well. Our findings also suggest that
a more targeted intervention may be necessary to improve healthcare accessibility
and quality outcomes in people with MS.
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
March 11,
2023
Received in revised form:
February 27,
2023
Received:
September 21,
2022
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2023 Published by Elsevier B.V.
