Patients are expecting to learn more: A longitudinal study of patients with heart failure undergoing device implantation

• Published in: Patient education and counseling Vol. 103; no. 7; pp. 1382 - 1389
• Main Authors: Ingadottir, Brynja, Thylén, Ingela, Ulin, Kerstin, Jaarsma, Tiny
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier B.V 01.07.2020
• Subjects: Aged; Cardiac resynchronization therapy device; Female; Health Personnel; Health Sciences; Heart failure; Heart Failure - therapy; Humans; Hälsovetenskaper; Learning; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Nursing; Patient education as topic; Patient reported outcome measures; Patient satisfaction; Sweden; Sweden; Heart failure; Patient reported outcome measures; Cardiac resynchronization therapy device; Patient satisfaction; Patient education as topic
• ISSN: 0738-3991; 1873-5134; 1873-5134
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2020.02.023

•Patients undergoing device implantation have diverse educational needs.•Educational needs of patients with heart failure are similar to that of other surgical patients.•Patients’ expectations for education are not being fulfilled.•Direct face-to-face education is of the utmost importance for patients. To explore the educational expectations and experiences of patients with heart failure in relation to device implantation. In this longitudinal study, patients at six Swedish and Icelandic hospitals answered instruments about their knowledge expectations, before the device implantation, and about the knowledge they had received at two weeks, six months and 12 months after the procedure. Predictors for fulfillment of knowledge expectations were assessed with linear mixed model analysis. Patients (N = 133, mean age 69.8 (±9.7) years, 80 % men) had high knowledge expectations, which for 83 % of them were unfulfilled. Predictors for fulfillment of knowledge expectations were access to knowledge from healthcare professionals (β 0.74, 95 % CI: 0.42–1.10), educational level (β −0.30, 95 % CI: −0.52 to −0.07) and knowledge expectations (β -1.03, 95 % CI: −1.30 to −0.80). Healthcare professionals were the main information source (89 %), 74 % of patients received written information, and 19 % had used the Internet. Patients receive less knowledge than they expect, and individual factors and communication with healthcare professionals are related to their experience. Face-to-face is the most common method of delivering education. Healthcare professionals should assess patients’ expectations for information and consider implementing more diversity in their educational practices.