Developing a toolkit for written information materials for patients with colorectal cancer undergoing elective surgery

• This study examines language complexity, readability and suitability, of written health information materials given to patients undergoing colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery. The overall aim is to investigate whether the implementation of adapted, person-centred information and communication for patients with CRC undergoing elective surgery, can enhance the patients’ self-care beliefs and well-being during recovery in the phase following diagnosis and initial treatment. Several explorative, qualitative studies are planned and will function both as a basis for the proposed interventions and provide explanations for the actual processes leading to the desired outcomes. Patients’ knowledge enablement will be reached by several interrelated intervention strategies and specific activities. One of these strategies deals with means to facilitate patients’ information seeking patterns and the goal is to provide patients with written information materials according to preferences for complex and detailed or legible texts. Thus, the interventions planed aim to enhance a movement from receiving information and instructions to participating in knowing. Written and printed patient information material from 28 Swedish clinics for patients diagnosed with CRC undergoing elective surgery were selected for analysis by means of standard metrics and more elaborate language technology techniques. Various text parameters such as lexical variation, frequency bands and the use of terminology were examined. The material was also analysed using a Suitability Assessment Instrument in order to examine content, literacy demand, graphic illustrations, layout and typography, learning stimulation and finally cultural appropriateness. In addition, five focusgroups were conducted where patients were asked to give their experiences of using written information. Results from the language technology analysis showed a variety in materials, where it could be divided in to easy, medium and difficult to read and comprehend. Patients in focusgroups told they would like written materials to be levelled in order to gain information stepwise, but also stressed the importance of information given both orally and in writing, and that they must correspond. Using the SAM-instrument was a good complement for deeper understanding, and taking all three analyses in account, we aim to design a balanced toolkit for how to best design written information materials where a person tailored approach can be offered.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Kirurgi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Surgery (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Data- och informationsvetenskap -- Språkteknologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Computer and Information Sciences -- Language Technology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

'language complexity'

readability

'written health information materials'

'colorectal cancer surgery'

'suitability assessment'

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)