Despite favorable results and enhanced patient convenience, the adoption of patient self-monitoring for anticoagulation therapy has been limited primarily to non-minority and higher socioeconomic status individuals. While effectiveness has been studied, the factors influencing the adoption of self-monitoring of anticoagulation in minorities with the most barriers to accessing quality care in specialized clinics, are not known.
Hypothesis: Patient centered education and training intervention for minority patients will result in effective adoption of self-monitoring of anticoagulation therapy, resulting in anticoagulation control of comparable quality to that seen in specialized anticoagulation clinic-based monitoring.
The research objective of this proposal will be accomplished through 3 specific aims:
1. Identify patient and provider factors that influence adoption of anticoagulation self-monitoring in a minority population.
2. Adapt and refine an education intervention that both addresses identified barriers and emphasizes identified positive influences to anticoagulation self-monitoring.
3. Demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of anticoagulation self-monitoring coupled with an educational intervention in a minority population.
