Preoperative informational
letters are often provided to help
patients understand their surgery and recovery. Patients who are well informed
before undergoing surgery experience reduced stress, increased understanding of
the postoperative process, and increased participation in decision-making. A
combination of written and oral information is preferred by the patients.
Furthermore, written, structured, and comprehensive information is perceived to
be valuable.
Although providing
patients with written information before gynecological surgery is widely used
and assumed important, no study has investigated what information patients
truly need. This study maps the contents of departmental informational
letters and explores whether the national GynOp letters live up to the
patients’ expectations and needs.
In 2014, all 59
gynecological departments in Sweden were asked to provide the information
letter they send to patients before hysterectomy on benign indication. 32
letters were screened and the data were analyzed using frequency analysis. In
addition, three focus groups were conducted and these data were submitted to
Qualitative Content Analysis. The focus group discussions (FGD) were
digitally recorded and transcribed by a secretary. The material was listened
and read through thoroughly by the first, second and fourth author before
analysis.
The analysis of the
information letters showed great variation and discrepancy in pre-operative
information. The analysis of the focus groups resulted in the theme You
can’t see the forest for the trees, reflecting that, the women found it
very difficult to identify the most important information among the massive
amount information received.
In conclusion,
informational letters distributed before benign gynecological surgery do not
meet the patient’s needs or expectations. Besides, this study demonstrates the
complexity of informing patients in a way that is understandable and fulfills
the needs and desires of patients. It seems that patients wanted only the most
relevant information in an informational letter; the letters should include the
most serious and the most common complications as well as the positive effects
of the surgery and nothing more. This study could serve as a foundation
for the content of informational letters.
Article by Sofia
Widetun, et al, from Umea University, Umea, Sweden.
Full access: http://t.cn/Eb6YRoX
Image by Deepti Juturu, from
Flickr-cc.
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