Health service experiences among adults with hereditary spastic paraparesis or neurofibromatosis type 1.

BACKGROUND

Persons with rare disorders may experience poorer health services due to limited knowledge about rare disorders among health professionals. Knowledge about how persons with rare disorders perceive health services can help inform service providers to enhance their practices.

METHODS

We conducted a self-report survey among adults with the rare disorders hereditary spastic paraparesis (HSP; n = 108; mean age 57.7 years; 54.2% females) and neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1, n = 142; mean age = 50.3 years; 62.0% females). Their responses concerning perceived health experiences were compared to healthy controls from the population study HUNT-3 (n = 7,312).

RESULTS

Both rare disorder groups reported lower satisfaction, trust, and participation in meetings with their general practitioner and specialist health services. More reported health problems were overall associated with poorer health service experiences.

CONCLUSION

There is a need to identify predictors of health service experiences at the patient and health service provider levels with the aim to tighten the gap between the health experiences of patients with and without rare disorders.