Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42290082›Full record

ArticleJournal of clinical nursing2026

Health Literacy and Unmet Needs in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Francesco Pastore, Barbara Forastefano, Valentina Simonetti, Tommaso Guerra, Giancarlo Cicolini, Pietro Iaffaldano, Dania Comparcini

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of clinical nursing, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Francesco PastoreDepartment of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Jonian Area (DiMePRe-J), Aldo Moro University of Bari, Bari, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5491-2759
Barbara ForastefanoDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, TorVergata University, Rome, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-5462-8209
Valentina SimonettiCenter of Innovation in Nursing Research (CINR)-Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), "G. D'annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7185-4850
Tommaso GuerraNeurology Unit, AOU Consorziale Policlinico, Aldo Moro University of Bari, Bari, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5248-5981
Giancarlo CicoliniCenter of Innovation in Nursing Research (CINR)-Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), "G. D'annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2736-1792
Pietro IaffaldanoDiBraiN-Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, Aldo Moro University of Bari, Bari, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2308-1731
Dania ComparciniCenter of Innovation in Nursing Research (CINR)-Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), "G. D'annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3622-6370

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsTo identify a correlation between unmet needs and HL levels in people with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS) and to evaluate how sociodemographic characteristics influence HL levels and unmet needs.

designA cross-sectional study.

methodsThe study was conducted using a questionnaire including the HLS

resultsAmong the 116 participants included in the study, the overall HL level was sufficient. Mean scores across unmet needs domains were comparable. A significant difference in HL emerged in the informational domain, where participants reporting informational needs and a desire for support showed higher mean ranks. Although not significant, participants who acknowledged a need and expressed a desire for help showed higher mean ranks in HLS

conclusionHL levels may enhance patients' ability to recognize and express needs without necessarily ensuring that these needs are met. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: Routine assessment of both HL and unmet needs may help healthcare professionals identify patients who recognize problems but lack the structural support to address them. IMPACT: The impact of HL on need recognition and communication, together with the complexity and interconnectedness of unmet needs, highlights the need for healthcare systems to implement organizational, systemic, and multidimensional interventions aimed at promoting HL and effectively addressing patients' needs. Such strategies may support better disease management and improve quality of life in pwMS. REPORTING

methodThis study was reported according to STROBE checklist. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: None.

Indexed as

Health LiteracyHealth Services Needs and DemandMultiple SclerosisNeeds AssessmentAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and Questionnaireshealth literacyinformational needsmultiple sclerosisneeds assessmentunmet needs

Identifiers

PMID42290082
PMCPMC13629243

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.