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BACKGROUND: Patient education is an essential element to quality health care, both in the physical health and mental health care arenas. Providers use written materials as tools to educate, but benefits are dependent on learners' reading and comprehension abilities. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this descriptive study was to evaluate adequacy of reading level and readability of psychotropic medication patient handouts. STUDYDESIGN: Reading level and readability of 15 psychotropic medication patient handouts were evaluated using the SMOG formula and the Readability Assessment Instrument, respectively. RESULTS: All 15 handouts were written at inadequate reading levels and readability. Reading levels were above 12th grade, with a mean of 13.5 (+/- 1.5 grades), and overall readability was below the acceptable score of 80% (M= 6%). CONCLUSIONS: Inadequate reading skills and comprehension may impede patients' learning and their ability to understand their illness and follow provider instructions. Providers must ensure education materials are written at adequate reading and readability levels to optimize learning and maximize desired outcomes related to treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Seclusion and/or restraints (S/R) usage is a legal, moral, and ethical issue of patient rights and safety. Current emphasis is on using lesser restrictive interventions (LRI) in crisis management. Objective: This descriptive/correlational study examined the relationship of LRI with S/R usage, average years of psychiatric experience of nursing staff, and staff mix. Study design: The sample included 82 events requiring crisis intervention. Data were collected at a state mental health facility using a crisis cycle intervention tool and staff questionnaire. Results: Data revealed a significant relationship between LRI and S/R usage and a significant positive relationship between percentage of licensed nurses and LRI. However, the relationship between average years of psychiatric experience and LRI was not significant. Fourteen percent of LRI could be predicted by percentage of licensed staff. Conclusion: The findings supported using LRI in crisis management. Using LRI individualized to the crisis event promotes a safer, more therapeutic environment for both parties and staff. The findings revealed the need to evaluate the impact of a change in staff mix on quality of care and desired outcomes. Further research is needed to explore the multiple variables that influence LRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Racial and ethnic disparities in cancer prevalence, survival, and mortality are thoroughly documented in the literature. Strategies to overcome the barriers to optimal cancer screening and management rely on effective communication and knowledge of sociocultural differences among minority populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informed and shared decision making are hallmarks of quality medical care. Although decision aids (e.g., brochures, decision boards, videos, interactive computer programs) can impart useful information, there is a dearth of work on theory-based approaches that help people clarify preferences and select a favored alternative. Decision counseling is a novel method that has been developed to address this need. In a decision counseling session, provider and patient identify personal values associated with decision alternatives, weigh the influence of relevant factors, clarify preference, and select an option from available alternatives. Decision counseling is described here in relation to 3 decision-making situations (i.e., having cancer screening, being tested for cancer risk, and joining a cancer chemoprevention trial). Preliminary findings suggest that decision counseling can help to clarify personal preferences related to health behavior choices and, thus, facilitate achievement of the ideals of informed and shared decision making. ((c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focus groups with African American women who - had experienced a breast biopsy were conducted during the process of 'getting ready' for a breast biopsy educational study in which the intervention's educational materials and study instruments were developed and pre-tested. Recommendations were made for revising the breast biopsy educational booklet. As a result of the focus group discussions, changes were made in several of the graphics, the design and size of the booklet, and the tone of the piece. In addition, language describing the biopsy procedure was further simplified. The outcomes of this study were culturally tailored study materials to be used in an educational intervention to prepare African American women undergoing a breast biopsy procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: We report race-related differences in response to behavioral interventions in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. METHODS: From 2002 through 2005, a total of 1430 primary care patients (578 whites and 852 African Americans) from Jefferson Family Medicine Associates, a large primary care practice affiliated with Thomas Jefferson University, completed a baseline survey and were randomized to 1 of 4 groups, as follows: control (usual care), standard intervention (SI), tailored intervention (TI), or tailored intervention plus phone (TIP). The SI group received a targeted print intervention by mail. The TI group received the targeted intervention and tailored message pages that addressed perceptions related to screening. The TIP group received the targeted intervention, tailored message pages, and a telephone reminder. RESULTS: CRC screening rates for whites and African Americans were comparable in usual care (33% versus 32%, respectively). In response to intervention, however, whites exhibited significantly higher (p=0.005) screening rates than African Americans (53% versus 43%, respectively; adjusted OR=1.44; 95% CI=1.12-1.86). This effect is largely explained by differential response to mailed print interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Whites and African Americans may respond differently to mailed interventions intended to increase CRC screening. Research is needed on methods that can both increase screening and racial equity in screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]