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Background: People with a new diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) require knowledge to build skills and confidence to engage in decision making for AF treatment and prevention of AF-related complications. Data to guide development of content and approaches that enable acquisition of knowledge to support effective self-management are lacking. Objective: The aimof this studywas to explore patients' values concerning the content of initial AF education, describe how providers delivered education, and identify patients' preferences for approaches to education. Methods: We used a qualitative inductive approach. Twenty-five participants given a diagnosis of AF within 18months of enrollment were recruited from midwest US healthcare system clinics. Data were collected using a semistructured interview guide and were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Themes emerging were as follows: (1) important to know, (2) recollections of the how and what of education, and (3) preferences for educational resources. Participants highly valued providers' explanations that AF was not immediately life-threatening and did not require limitations to usual activities. This reassurance fromproviders decreased fear and then enabled participants to learn about AFmanagement. Verbal explanations were the primary approach to delivering education, but participants consistently expressed preferences for receiving written information and videos to supplement verbal explanations. Conclusions: Addressing emotional and quality of life concerns at the time of AF diagnosis reduced fear and was critical for enabling participants to attend to discussions about treatment and self-management. The value participants placed on written and video resources as an adjunct to verbal explanation suggests that providers should consider educational approaches beyond verbal explanations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Patients and clinicians do not often agree on whether a decision has been made about cancer care. This could be explained by factors related to communication quality and/or the type of decision being made. Methods We used a self-developed coding scheme to code a random sample of 128 encounters in which patients and clinicians either agreed (n=64) or disagreed (n=64) that a cancer care decision was made and tested for associations between concordance and key communication behaviours. We also identified and characterized cancer care decisions by topic and level of patient involvement and looked for trends. Results We identified 378 cancer care decisions across 128 encounters. Explicit decisions were most commonly made about topics wherein decision control could be easily delegated to a clear and present expert (eg either the patient or the clinician). Related to this, level of patient involvement varied significantly by decision topic. Explicit decisions were rarely made in an observable way about social, non-clinical or self-management related topics, although patients and clinicians both reported having made a cancer care decision in encounters where no decisions were observed. We found no association between communication behaviours and concordance in our sample. Conclusions What counts as a 'decision' in cancer care may be constructed within disparate social roles that leave many agendas unaddressed and decisions unmade. Changing the content of conversations to encourage explicit decisions about self-management and life context-related topics may have greater value in enabling shared understanding than promoting communication behaviours among already high-performing communicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the attitudes and beliefs of both parents and surgical clinicians regarding interventions to reduce secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in children undergoing surgery. Methods: Structured interviews were conducted with 25 parents of children scheduled for elective procedures and 10 surgical clinicians. Results: Major themes identified in parent interviews included: (1) parents are receptive to learning about the surgical risks posed by SHS exposure; (2) many are already attempting to reduce SHS exposure, and; (3) parents are more accepting of SHS mitigation procedure than a recommendation to quit smoking. Clinicians were receptive to addressing perioperative SHS exposure. Conclusions: Both parents and clinicians are receptive to clinician-delivered interventions to reduce the SHS exposure of children scheduled for elective surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research on the development of a computer-based education tool (CBET) which may be utilized during clinical visits of patients to a breast cancer specialist. Aside from animated videos, the CBET reportedly features graphics and written content that offer information on breast anatomy, tumor staging, and breast surgery options. It also explores feasibility and efficiency of CBET, the need to increase patient knowledge, and the preferred learning style of patients.

Providing concise, consistent, and individually relevant patient education is critical. At one institution, patients and families attended a chemotherapy education class consisting of an 11-minute DVD and an oncology nurse-facilitated group discussion. Postclass and eight-week follow-up surveys assessing understanding of treatment side effects, self-care management, and confidence in managing side effects were administered. Quantitative and qualitative data suggested the DVD and oncology nurse-facilitated group discussion provided consistent information, flexibility, and expert knowledge in empowering patients and families to self-manage chemotherapy side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]