A qualitative study of patient education needs for hip and knee replacement

Abstract

BackgroundQuality health information is key to patient engagement, self-management and an enhanced healthcare experience. There is strong evidence to support involving patients and their families in the development and evaluation of health-related educational material. These factors were the impetus for our high volume joint replacement centre to undertake a qualitative study to elicit patient experiences to inform the development of effective strategies and education along the care continuum for hip and knee replacement.MethodsPurposively selected patients from postoperative follow-up clinics were recruited to participate in a focus group or telephone interview. We developed a semi-structured interview guide that addressed four specific aspects of the patient’s experience with educational material: pre-surgery, hospital stay, recovery period and future recommendations. The focus groups and interviews continued to the point of saturation and were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Interview transcripts were coded and then inductively organized into larger categories using thematic analysis.ResultsSix focus groups and seven telephone interviews were conducted, totalling 32 participants. One of the key themes that emerged was a need for more education concerning pain management post-operatively; specifically, patients wanted more information on expected levels of pain, pain medication usage, management of side effects and guidelines for weaning off the medication. There was surprising variability in patients’ descriptions of their pre-surgery, surgery and recovery experiences. These corresponded to an equally diverse range of preferences for educational content, delivery and timing. Many patients reported using the web while others preferred traditional formats for information delivery. There was some interest in receiving education using mobile technology.ConclusionsOur findings validate the importance of multi-modal patient education tailored to individual preferences and experiences, which may differ according to such characteristics as gender and age. The gap in pain management information is a critical finding for healthcare providers working with patients undergoing joint replacement. Developing pain management education in different formats that addresses frequently asked questions will enhance patient engagement and, their overall experience and recovery.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12891-017-1769-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

General surgical patients’ experience of hospital discharge education: A qualitative study

“…Our participants stated they wanted to be treated with respect and empathy and listened to during their interactions with their providers. This finding supports the need for personalised and tailored information delivered using a patient‐centred approach (Rushton et al, ), which can in turn contribute to patients’ satisfaction (Kennedy et al, ). Patient‐centred communication is essential for a positive physician‐patient relationship and can enhance patients’ willingness to adhere to treatment plans and share information that is important to them (Jo Delaney, ).…”

“…Our participants stated they wanted to be treated with respect and empathy and listened to during their interactions with their providers. This finding supports the need for personalised and tailored information delivered using a patient-centred approach (Rushton et al, 2017), which can in turn contribute to patients' satisfaction (Kennedy et al, 2017…”

Exploring the Experiences of Health Care Providers Regarding Their Perceived Abilities in Delivering Health Education: A Qualitative Study

“…The first explored theme was the ability of the health educator to win audience's trust by his/her personal characteristics and communication skills. Demographic differences such as personality traits, age, marital status, gender, and even the educator's appearance are important in establishing satisfactory communication and delivering optimal education to the clients (11). Consistent with previous studies, communication with patients should be based on the demographic characteristics of the clients and not everyone should receive the same treatment (9,12).…”

“…When clients laugh with health professionals, their selfconfidence increases. Humorous communication conveys emotional messages and leads to trust (11,16,17). Humorous and friendly communication with the audience will lead to empathy with the audience and wins the audience's trust.…”

“…Positive attention is a method in which the client is accepted and respected so that he/she feels safe. Therefore, the prerequisite for winning the trust of the audience is to pay them positive attention (9,11). The prerequisite for empathizing with the patient is to pay positive attention to him/her and care for him/her.…”