Gonzalez A
Ostomy/wound management. Date of publication 2017 Jun 1;volume 63(6):16-28.
1. Ostomy Wound Manage. 2017 Jun;63(6):16-28.
The Effect of a Patient Education Intervention on Knowledge and Venous Ulcer
Recurrence: Results of a Prospective Intervention and Retrospective Analysis.
Gonzalez A.
Patient education may help reduce the recurrence of venous ulcers. To examine the
effectiveness of a home-based patient education program on disease and self-care
knowledge and ulcer recurrence rates, a prospective study and retrospective
analysis of patient outcomes was conducted among 3 groups of patients. Group A (n
= 28) had received the education intervention and assessments as part of an
earlier study and were recruited to participate in a 36-week follow-up.Group B
patients (n = 22) participated in the prospective component of this study and
were assessed after 2, 9, and 36 weeks. Data from control group patients (group
C, n = 45) were abstracted following a retrospective chart review. Group A and B
participants had a healing venous ulcer for at least 5 weeks before the education
intervention. Group C patients had been treated for 41 weeks, had a positive
wound healing trajectory until week 5, and did not receive additional education.
Demographic data for each group were abstracted from the patients' charts. The
educational intervention consisted of a 45-minute, one-on-one presentation in the
patient's home that included visual aids, a brochure, and a handout addressing
important aspects of care and activity. Pre- and post-intervention knowledge was
assessed using the Checklist for Patient Learning, which includes 2 subscales to
measure knowledge of disease process (6 items, range 0-6) and knowledge of
self-care activities to prevent recurrence (7 items, range 0-7), with higher
scores indicating more knowledge. Wound healing and recurrence, as observed by
the patient's wound care provider and reported by the patient, was noted as Yes
or No. Descriptive statistics and unpaired t-tests were used to analyze the data.
In all 3 groups, >50% of patients were female and 65 to 74 years of age. In group
A and B, knowledge scores at the 36-week assessment were higher than those at
baseline (4.13 ± 0.437 and 10.7 ± 0.421, respectively, for group A and 4.22 ±
0.231 and 10.9 ± 0.871, respectively, for group B). The 36-week scores did not
differ significantly between groups A and B (P = .687). Recurrence rates were
lower in group A and B (50% and 45%, respectively) than in the control group
(69%). The results of this study confirm patient education improves disease and
self-care knowledge scores and may reduce venous ulcer recurrence rates. Studies
including larger patient cohorts and longer follow-up times are warranted.
PMID: 28657896 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
