Background: Short informations with graphic elements may support self management of symptoms. Enhancing self-management is a key element of cancer care. Since 2011 different organisations have been developing patient education handouts, the so called symptom navi with three different graphical variants and slightly different text. Aim: To lay ground for a Swiss-wide standard of the symptom navi, we evaluated (a) the utility of the sheets and (b) the preference for the graphical layout and c) complexity of provided text with patients, their relatives, and health professionals. Methods: We conducted three focus groups with 14 patients and one relative, and an online-survey with 16 health professionals. Descriptive data analysis were combined with thematic analysis of qualitative data. Results: Overall, the symptom navi were well received by patients and health professionals. All participants welcomed the conciseness of information and requested information was easy to find. The structure of the symptom navi supported the readability and facilitated the self-assessment of a patients’ condition. Smileys to support the evaluation of symptom burden was the most favoured graphic layout. For patients, the graduation of the severity of symptoms with different colours supported their feelings of safety. However, symptom navi do not substitute personal contact and counselling. Conclusions: The most favoured graphical layout will now be further developed and refined. A future evaluation will investigate the content validity of the symptom navi.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.