Association Between Patient Education Videos and Knowledge of Radiation Treatment

Kiran A. Kumar, Katy E. Balazy, Paulina M. Gutkin, Clare E. Jacobson, Jie Jane Chen, Jamie J. Karl, Rie von Eyben, Kathleen C. Horst

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: Patient knowledge of radiation therapy (RT) before consult is typically limited, with many having misconceptions or fears. There exists a need to improve patient education in RT. Our purpose was to study the impact of patient education videos on patient-reported knowledge of RT, anxiety/fear, and satisfaction. Methods and Materials: At our institution, we created 2 RT educational videos: a general RT video and a breast cancer–specific video. Patients presenting for breast RT who agreed to participate (n = 107) were randomly assigned to receive a link to the videos (video group; n = 58) or not (no-video group; n = 49) before consultation. Pre- and postconsult surveys were administered assessing patient-reported measures on a 5-point Likert-type scale. Results: Patients in the video group reported significantly higher levels of confidence in their knowledge of radiation side effects, with 45.6.% at least somewhat confident versus 21.3% in the no-video group (P = .009; median on a 5-point Likert-type scale, 2 [interquartile range {IQR}, 2-3] versus 2 [IQR, 1-2], respectively [P = .012]). There was a trend toward higher knowledge of the radiation treatment process in the video group (median, 3 [IQR, 2-3] versus 2 [IQR, 2-3] for no-video group; P = .064). There were no significant differences in preconsult anxiety or fear between the groups, but of those who were assigned videos, 46.8% reported decreased anxiety afterward, and 66.0% felt more comfortable coming to a consult. While those in the no-video group hypothesized that a video would be helpful (median, 3; IQR, 3-4), those in the video group found them to be very helpful in real life (median, 4; IQR, 45; P = .0009). After the consult, all patients in both groups were satisfied. Conclusions: Patient education videos increase patient-reported knowledge of RT and are found to be very helpful.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1165-1175
Number of pages11
JournalInternational Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
Volume109
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2021

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiation
  • Oncology
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
  • Cancer Research

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