How can we support children, adolescents and young adults in managing chronic health challenges? A scoping review on the effects of patient education interventions

Abstract

Objectives This scoping review aims to give a comprehensive and systematic overview of published evaluations and the potential impact of patient education interventions for children, adolescents and young adults who are living with chronic illness and/or impairment loss. Methods Relevant literature published between 2008 and 2018 has been comprehensively reviewed, with attention paid to variations in study, intervention and patient characteristics. Arksey and O'Malley's framework for scoping studies guided the review process, and thematic analysis was undertaken to synthesize extracted data. Results Of the 7214 titles identified, 69 studies were included in this scoping review. Participant‐reported benefits of the interventions included less distress from symptoms, improved medical adherence and/or less use of medication, and improved knowledge. The majority of studies measuring physical activity and/or physiologic outcomes found beneficial effects. Interventions were also beneficial in terms of decreased use of urgent health care, hospitalization, visits to general practitioner and absence from school. By sharing experiences, participants had learned from each other and attained new insight on how they could manage illness‐related challenges. Discussion Study results corroborate previous research suggesting that different types of patient education interventions have a positive impact on children, adolescents and young adults, but research on this field is still in a starting phase. The results summed up in the current review supports the utility of patient education interventions that employ behavioural strategies tailored to the developmental needs of children, adolescents and young adults with different cultural backgrounds.

From the Hospital Bed to the Laptop at Home: Effects of a Blended Self-Regulated Learning Intervention

“…Findings of the present study are consistent with previous research that used tailored programs as a mean to address the educational needs of hospitalized youth, e.g., [8,10,126]. Typically, current educational interventions are implemented in the context of Hospital Schools for inpatients with long or repeated admissions [127].…”

Effects of a peer co-facilitated educational programme for parents of children with ADHD: a feasibility randomised controlled trial protocol

“…21 Peer educators and health professionals may emphasise different values when developing and implementing educational programmes. 41 Parents who are experts have a unique knowledge about the mental healthcare systems work, and by their experience, they may have important things to teach other parents. The active involvement of parents in educational interventions, incorporating their knowledge to help other parents may therefore be beneficial.…”

Patients’ empowerment and the role of patients’ education

“…A strategy in this sense to ensure that the patient has understood the information is the use of the "teach back" method, through which the healthcare professional checks if the patient can answer three questions: what is wrong with me, what should I do and why it is important to do so (19). There is great variation in the type of educational actions and programs for patients, as well as in their design, implementation, environment and results obtained both, in terms of physical and psychological health, as well as regarding the use of health services (20). Health education can be carried out through a set of training actions at the individual or group level that can be developed in health centers, or through more extensive and in deep programs.…”