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Learning Objective 1: Develop a patient education tool which will address the Joint Commission requirements for medical information written for the low literacy patient.
Learning Objective 2: Evaluate the evidence-based practice that supports utilizing charts and illustrations to support the readability level of the written text for education of stroke patients.
Methods: An interdisciplinary team of experts consisting of nursing, social work, therapies (physical, occupational, recreational, and kinesiology), speech pathology, and nutrition collaborated to develop an educational tool for patients who had experienced a stroke and their families. The “Veteran’s Self-Management Guide to Stroke Prevention” defined stroke types, factors related to stroke risks and methods for stroke risk factor reduction, self-management techniques to address healthy behavior changes, and home safety issues. A national celebrity developed illustrations utilized throughout the book that were target audience specific--the military veteran. Collaboration with the National Stroke Association guided the didactic pedagogical content presented. Evidence-based research findings for stroke education from the Joint Commission were incorporated within the information design to support a Stroke Center of Excellence. Both provider and target audience evaluation was undertaken.
Results: Providers addressed the clarity of the message, readability level, font type and size, illustration styles for the charts, and pertinent targeted messaging. Patients (n= 16) and caregivers (n= 14) evaluated the guide using a 9-item Likert scale and open-ended comments. Patients were mostly male (94%), Caucasian (47%) with a mean age of 59 years. Ninety-seven percent of patients and caregivers found the guide to be an “excellent” or “very good” resource. There was no significant difference in responses between patients and caregivers.Conclusion: Initial testing of this low-literacy educational tool suggests that this guide is an appropriate, easy to use stroke self-management guide for veterans and their caregivers in this agency. Veteran specific illustrations enhanced this guide.
See more of: Evidence-Based Practice Sessions – Oral Paper & Posters