Patient information leaflets: some pertinent guidelines

Meeting Patient Information Needs Before Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Development and Evaluation of an Information Booklet

“…The front-page illustration enhanced the quality of the booklet by conveying warmness, the sense of a relaxed atmosphere, and by providing a picture of reality. These observations are encouraging, because information booklets have often been found difficult for patients to understand (Tutty & O'Connor, 1999). The impressions and experiences shared by the previously MRI-naive participants in this study indicate that the information booklet was successful in providing procedural, behavioral, and sensory information.…”

“…The booklet was developed based on recommendations regarding the design and contents of written patient information before hospital visits (Mitchell, 2001;Tutty & O'Connor, 1999). It was thus intended to include a description of the examination procedure (procedural information), potential reactions and perceptions in connection with the examination (sensory information), as well as what is expected from patients during the examination and how they can collaborate (behavioral information; Mitchell, 2001).…”

“…It was thus intended to include a description of the examination procedure (procedural information), potential reactions and perceptions in connection with the examination (sensory information), as well as what is expected from patients during the examination and how they can collaborate (behavioral information; Mitchell, 2001). Technical and medical terms should be avoided and the language should be easily understood, also by those with limited reading levels, and its appearance should be appealing (Tutty & O'Connor, 1999). Furthermore, information that specifically should be given to patients undergoing MRI was considered (Dowd & Ott, 1998;Womack & Thomas, 1996), along with clinical experience.…”

Development of an Educational Intervention Focused on Sexuality for Women with Gynecological Cancer

“…Much literature surrounds the design of patient information material (Aldridge, 2004;Nicklin, 2002;Singh, 2003;Stonecypher, 2009;Templeton & Coates, 2003;Tutty & O'Connor, 1999;Winslow, 2001). However, no universally accepted framework exists that provides guidelines on the processes/stages of material development.…”

“…The booklet was designed to follow a question and answer format to keep the reader's attention (Griffin, McKenna, & Tooth, 2003;Tutty & O'Connor, 1999). Bullet points were included to ensure that all important points were clear to the reader (Michielutte, Bahnson, Dignan, & Schroeder, 1992).…”