Information needs concerning medication of cardiovascular patients
Summary
Background: The number of patients with chronic cardiovascular diseases is increasing. Nurses frequently coach these patients, with medication as an important topic. Providing patients with information can improve satisfaction, which can result in higher medication adherence. The information currently given, may not be in accordance with patients’ needs.
Aim: To gain insight in the information need concerning medication of patients with chronic cardiovascular diseases who are coached by nurses at an outpatient clinic of a general hospital.
Research questions: 1)What is the satisfaction of patients with provided information? 2)What is the extent of information desired? 3)How and by whom should information be presented?
Method: A descriptive, cross-sectional study. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling, at one out-patient clinic of a Dutch general hospital. Participants were diagnosed with coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease or peripheral arterial disease in the last year, aged ≥ 18 years and using ≥ one cardiovascular medication(s). The ‘Satisfaction with Information about Medicines Scale’ and the ‘Extent of Information Desired Scale’ were used to answer the questions.
Results: A sample of 36 patients was available. Twenty-five patients participated, 48% was non-satisfied with provided information and about 50% was tended to want more information. The hospital (doctor) and the general practitioner were preferred to present information.
Conclusion: Information must be improved to reach higher satisfaction rates. The extent of information and the preferred presentation differed within the population and confirmed that needs are a personally issue. More cooperation among healthcare workers and a constant dialogue with patients is recommended.
Recommendations: Research is recommend to investigate the information need after the first year of sickness and of patients with different cardiovascular diseases. The use of measurement scales, to describe individual needs, can be investigated.