Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a condition in which the parathyroid glands produce too much parathyroid hormone. If left untreated, this condition significantly increases the risk of bone fractures, kidney stones, and cardiovascular events. While surgical removal of the parathyroid glands (called a parathyroidectomy) is safe, cost-effective, and the only known treatment that can cure PHPT, it is severely under-utilized by patients from historically disadvantaged populations. With a $15,000 Paul LoGerfo Research Award from the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons Foundation, Division of Endocrine Surgery Assistant Professor Alexander Chiu, MD will be creating and pilot testing educational media to promote the benefits of parathyroidectomy among patients with PHPT who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
“Our previous research has found that disparities in PHPT treatment are related to several factors, and key among them is diminished patient motivation for treatment stemming from a lack of understanding about the condition itself as well as fears about surgery,” explained Chiu. “By designing a patient education intervention that is both sensitive to health literacy levels and developed with patient-focused outcomes in mind, we can take definitive steps to reduce disparities in treatment and health outcomes for patients with PHPT.”
Chiu will be partnering with media designers, health literacy and health disparities experts, and primary care specialists to develop patient-oriented handouts and videos in English and Spanish that will explain the health impacts of PHPT and address both common fears of parathyroid surgery as well as what to expect during recovery. They will then solicit feedback on these materials from a diverse group of patients with PHPT, refining the materials as needed. Finally, they will conduct a pilot study at a local federally-qualified health center to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and patient experience of using these materials to educate patients about PHPT and its surgical treatment.
“My long-term goal is to develop and test a comprehensive program that includes a suite of interventions aimed at reducing disparities in the rate of parathyroidectomy,” said Chiu. “One central component of this program is the evidence-based educational media we’ll be developing with the support of the LoGerfo Award, and I’m incredibly grateful to the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons Foundation for supporting this work.”