The relationship between knowledge, health literacy, and adherence among patients taking oral anticoagulants for stroke thromboprophylaxis in atrial fibrillation.

Background: Patients' knowledge regarding their oral anticoagulant (OAC) treatment for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF), their level of medication adherence, and health literacy are known to affect treatment outcomes. However, contemporary data regarding the relationships between these variables are lacking.

Objective: To investigate the relationships between anticoagulant knowledge, health literacy, and self-reported adherence in patients taking warfarin and the directly acting oral anticoagulants.