Stories – a novel approach to transfer complex health information to parents: A qualitative study

Abstract

Objective: To identify the beneficial attributes and mechanisms of storytelling through understanding the parental experiences of using a storybook knowledge translation intervention. Method: An exploratory descriptive design involving 23 parents of children presenting to two emergency departments for treatment of croup. Parents received a set of three storybooks, each representing a different severity level of croup (mild, moderate, and severe). Results: The storybooks were evaluated favorably. Parents were better able to understand the progression and treatment of croup by reading the stories, thus reducing uncertainty and alleviating anxiety about their child's condition. Parents consistently reported four positive outcomes associated with using the storybooks: (1) feeling reassured that they had done the right thing, (2) reduced uncertainty, (3) a normalization of the experience, and (4) feeling empowered. Conclusion: The “storybook” presentation of health information was regarded favorably by parents as a learning tool. Practice implications: The storybook format is a useful knowledge translation device.

Keywords:

• storytelling
• narrative
• qualitative
• knowledge translation
• croup

Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the Women and Children's Health Research Institute at the University of Alberta. We also acknowledge the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) team grant (grant #G118160601) for supporting the original trial. Currently Dr. Scott is supported by an Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, Population Health Investigator career award and a Canadian Institutes of Health Research New Investigator Award. Miss Archibald's graduate work has been supported by a QE II Scholarship from the University of Alberta and is currently supported by funding from the Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Program.