Abstract Purpose The voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) is a common imaging test in pediatric urology that can be associated with anxiety in the child and parent. We hypothesized that education by ...mailed brochure would decrease pre-procedure parental anxiety. Methods Families of children scheduled for VCUG were randomized into an experimental group that was mailed an educational brochure about the VCUG and a control group. Immediately prior to the procedure, parental anxiety was assessed with the self-administered State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The parent repeated the STAI at home after the VCUG and answered brief questions about educational resources used to prepare for the VUCG. Results We enrolled 105 families (47 experimental, 58 control). Parental state anxiety was higher before the procedure than after the procedure ( p < 0.001). Younger parents had greater pre-procedure state anxiety ( p = 0.007). Contrary to our expectations, pre-procedure state anxiety did not differ between control and experimental groups. However, parents in the experimental group demonstrated less anxiety with some individual items in the questionnaire. Conclusion An educational brochure mailed to families prior to VCUG did not decrease pre-procedure parental state anxiety. However, the educational brochure can ensure accurate dissemination of information to help families prepare for this potentially distressing procedure.
This paper reports on an intervention designed during an ongoing two phase project aimed at improving early critical illness rehabilitation. It focuses specifically on the justification for a newly ...developed critical care discharge information pack: ‘User Centred Critical Care Discharge Information Pack’ (UCCDIP). The intervention is described in detail and the chosen research methods are discussed.
Discharge from critical care to a ward is a difficult time for patients and relatives. Research suggests that effective information has the potential to reduce relocation stress and optimise recovery.
Using the Medical Research Council framework for the development and evaluation of complex interventions, a phase I focus group study and collaboration with service users/carers informed the development of a new critical care discharge information pack, currently being evaluated in a phase II Randomised Controlled Trial.
UCCDIP acknowledges the patients’ need to understand what they have been through and the progress they have made. It provides for the different information needs of patients and relatives, recognising their physical and psychological vulnerability. Through its use of reflection and participation, UCCDIP has the potential to optimise support of adult patients and their families during early critical illness rehabilitation.
The goal of home infusion therapy education is to teach patients and their caregivers all aspects of home infusion to ensure independence in therapy administration and to decrease vascular access ...device complications and long-term parenteral nutrition (PN) complications. When patients receive home PN (HPN), the education is generally more complicated and requires a focus different from routine intravenous medication infusion. In addition, the management of an HPN patient is different from a hospitalized PN patient because needs and goals of HPN patients vary from those of hospitalized patients. Educating HPN patients so that goals and outcomes can be achieved effectively while allowing the patient to maintain as independent as possible and reduce PN complications is a challenge. This article reviews the methods of education currently available to HPN patients. The education provided to HPN patients also is reviewed, with an emphasis on achieving independence and reducing PN complications.
Parenteral and enteral nutrition (PEN) are life-sustaining therapies that can be administered in the home. They are also complex therapies, with many facets about which patients and caregivers must ...learn. Once home on PEN, the patient assumes much of the responsibility for day-to-day care. Although patients are trained in many aspects of home PEN management before they leave the hospital and often again upon arrival home, there is much to retain and put into practice. Many health care facilities, companies, and nonprofit organizations create home PEN patient education materials. In 1993 and 1995, directories were created to list the home nutrition support materials that were available. The 1995 directory has been updated and appended to this article. This directory was created in the spirit of the original: to encourage communication and the exchange of information between individuals and institutions.
The pain and disability of hip and knee osteoarthritis can be improved by exercise, but the best method of encouraging this is not known.
To develop an evidence-based booklet for patients with hip or ...knee osteoarthritis, offering information and advice on maintaining activity.
Systematic review of reviews and guidelines, then focus groups.
Four general practices in North East Wales.
Evidence-based messages were developed from a systematic review, synthesised into patient-centred messages, and then incorporated into a narrative. A draft booklet was examined by three focus groups to improve the phrasing of its messages and discuss its usefulness. The final draft was examined in a fourth focus group.
Six evidence-based guidelines and 54 systematic reviews were identified. The focus groups found the draft booklet to be informative and easy to read. They reported a lack of clarity about the cause of osteoarthritis and were surprised that the pain could improve. The value of exercise and weight loss beliefs was accepted and reinforced, but there was a perceived contradiction about heavy physical work being causative, while moderate exercise was beneficial. There was a fear of dependency on analgesia and misinterpretation of the message on hyaluranon injections. The information on joint replacement empowered patients to discuss referral with their GP. The text was revised to accommodate these issues.
The booklet was readable, credible, and useful to end-users. A randomised controlled trial is planned, to test whether the booklet influences beliefs about osteoarthritis and exercise.
Nutrition and diet therapy are at the center of health promotion activities and self-management of chronic diseases. To assist an individual in making informed decisions regarding his or her diet and ...increase adherence to dietary recommendations or treatments, healthcare professionals must select health information that is appropriate to the client’s level of understanding. A systematic approach in the evaluation of patient education material, whether in print or on the World Wide Web, must focus on the information’s content, literacy level, graphical displays, layout and typography, motivating principles, cultural relevance, and feasibility. Additional criteria should be evaluated when accessing Web sites and include source, site credibility, conflict of interest, disclaimer, disclosure, navigation, and interactivity information.
Objective: To investigate the content and design preferences of printed health education leaflets among Arab patients. Materials and Methods: A survey questionnaire to 17 subjects (women: n = 8, men: ...n = 9; age range 17-70 years) and three focus-group discussions (total 16 participants) were used to assess preferences by showing samples of Arabic health education materials. The questionnaire was administered by interviewers. For the focus-group discussions, the sessions were conducted by a trained interviewer, audio recorded and analyzed thematically. The subjects' educational level was from no formal schooling to university level. Results: In survey component, all patients preferred photographs over clipart. Typeface (‘font') preferences were for Simplified Arabic in 8 subjects (47%) and Mudir MT in 7 (41%); the 16-point font size was favored by 14 (82%) patients. In the three focus-group discussions, themes that participants expressed included use of standard Arabic with local dialects, short sentences, and culturally appropriate advice with practical and quantifiable examples. Conclusions: The participants preferred health education materials to be color trifold brochures illustrated with pictures and not clipart and written in Arabic using the Simplified Arabic font in 16-point size.
Summary Cancer patient education can be especially important in topics like side effects of chemotherapy. Information needs of oncology patients are scarcely investigated in Italy. This study aimed ...to identify the learning needs, the amount of information desired and the preferred methods of information delivery of Italian cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. A total of 111 cancer patients completed a questionnaire developed for this study, which was assessed for validity and reliability. Respondents ranked the following priority information: illness, recovery, treatments, chemotherapy side effects and trajectory of illness. The great majority wanted to receive as much information as possible about all these topics. Most patients showed their wish to be informed along with their relatives, but only a few wanted relatives to be informed before them. The preferred method for receiving information about side effects of chemotherapy was oral conversation, followed by written information. Patients preferred receiving information from the oncologist, followed by the oncology nurse and the general practitioner. Most respondents preferred to be informed before receiving the first cycle of chemotherapy. Results are consistent with the existing literature with regard to information priorities, quantity of information desired and preferred methods of information. In contrast with a non-disclosure dominant culture, Italian cancer patients manifest their wish to be informed a great deal and personally about their condition. In order to meet cancer patients’ information needs, health professionals’ education and practice should be improved.
Objectif : la prescription médicamenteuse en soins primaires serait responsable d’effets indésirables chez 25 % des patients avec des conséquences graves dans 13 % des cas. Notre objectif a été ...d’élaborer une brochure interactive permettant d’informer et d’impliquer le patient en vue de prévenir les effets indésirables médicamenteux. Méthodes : le processus de production et d’évaluation de la brochure a nécessité plusieurs étapes : une revue de la littérature médicale internationale, une enquête Delphi, une évaluation de la lisibilité du texte, une étude qualitative de terrain, un travail linguistique, un travail d’infographie. Pour l’enquête Delphi 27 experts (patients, médecins généralistes, praticiens de santé publique, cardiologues, gériatres, psychologue, économiste, pharmaciens, infirmière, éthicien) ont été sollicités. Pour l’étude qualitative de terrain, un échantillon hétérogène de sept médecins, treize patients et deux aidants a été constitué. Résultats : une brochure interactive comprenant des items d’information sur le bénéfice et les risques des antihypertenseurs et un plan de soins à remplir par le patient suivi d’une fiche de signalement d’effets indésirables médicamenteux a été élaborée. Suite à l’étude de terrain, les phrases ambiguës et les termes médicaux peu compréhensibles ont été reformulés. Le temps nécessaire pour présenter la brochure ainsi que sa facilité d’emploi étaient des critères majeurs d’acceptabilité pour les soignants. Pour les patients il était nécessaire de mettre en évidence un bénéfice attendu pour susciter leur intérêt vis-à-vis de la brochure. Conclusion : le processus de développement utilisé a permis d’élaborer une brochure compréhensible et acceptable en soins primaires pour prévenir les effets indésirables des antihypertenseurs et leur gravité.
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