https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5989-9442
Abstract
Purpose
Patient education improves health and treatment adherence of patients with chronic kidney disease. However, evidence about the sufficiency of patients’ knowledge processed in patient education is limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate subjective and objective sufficiency of knowledge processed in patient education in dialysis care and treatment.
Patients and Methods
A cross-sectional study design was used. The sample (n=162) comprised patients in predialysis or home dialysis. All eligible patients during the data collection timeframe (2016–2017) in two university hospital districts in Finland were invited to participate. Subjective sufficiency was evaluated with a structured questionnaire having 34 items divided into six dimensions of empowering knowledge (bio-physiological, functional, social, experiential, ethical, and financial) on a Likert scale (1=not sufficient at all, 4=very sufficient). Objective sufficiency was evaluated with a structured knowledge test with 10 items (score range 0–10, correct=1, wrong/no knowledge=0) based on the multidimensional content of patient education emphasizing bio-physiological dimension.
Results
In subjective sufficiency of knowledge, the mean was 3.27 (SD 0.54). The bio-physiological dimension of empowering knowledge was the most sufficient (mean 3.52, SD 0.49) and the experiential the least (mean 2.8, SD 0.88). In objective sufficiency, the means ranged 5.15–5.97 (SD 2.37–2.68) among patients in different modalities of dialysis care and treatment. The least sufficient objective scores were bio-physiological and functional knowledge. The subjective and objective sufficiency did not correlate with each other.
Conclusion
Patients’ knowledge, either subjective or objective, does not seem to be sufficient. Hence, attention should be paid to supporting patients with more personalized knowledge. Furthermore, the relationship between subjective and objective sufficiency needs future consideration, as their non-correspondence was a new discovery.
Abbreviations
CKD, chronic kidney disease; HHD, home hemodialysis; PD, peritoneal dialysis; SD, standard deviation.
Data Sharing Statement
The data sets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are not available because consent for sharing the data was not obtained from the patients.
Ethics Approval and Informed Consent
This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of University of Turku (19/2016, 4th April 2016). Permissions were given by authorities of the hospital districts. Permissions to use and modify the original instruments were given by copyright holders. All patients were informed about the purpose of the study, confidentiality, anonymity, voluntary participation, and possibility to withdraw from the study at any time. Written informed consent was given by all participants.
Acknowledgments
We warmly thank the patients for their time and interest to participate in the study in the middle of their care and treatment. This is the only way to develop patient-oriented education.
Disclosure
Miss Saija Inkeroinen reports grants from Turku University Hospital, during the conduct of the study. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work.