Voorlichting bij patiënten met atriumfibrillatie: een gecontroleerde effectstudie

Abstract

In outpatient care settings, there is often a lack of possibilities to inform patients sufficiently about their diagnosed disease. This is partially due to inefficient time management and a shortage of financial means. The patient is left with many unanswered questions, which can lead to uncertainty about their disease and how to deal with it. In this study the effects of a short patient education program are examined using a pre-posttest control group design and a questionnaire, the effects of a multimedia mode of patient education for patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation are assessed on well-being, knowlegde, disease acceptance, treatment compliance, uncertainty, physical complaints, anxiety and depression. The patient education program results in a significant stronger decrease of uncertainty within the education group than in the control group. Knowledge about the disease increases significantly more in the experimental group too, compared with the control group. There is no improvement noticeable for any of the other measured variables. All in all, the results are modest, but, considering the small investment needed for such an intervention, it can be considered a valuable additional instrument in cardiology care.