THERAPEUTIC EDUCATION PROMOTES THE REORGANISATION OF PATIENTS HEALTH KNOWLEDGE

1
VENETO REGION - PADUA UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL and
ULSS 16, ITALY

• THERAPEUTIC EDUCATION PROMOTES THE REORGANISATION
  OF PATIENTS HEALTH KNOWLEDGE

Rossato E., Bonadiman L., Pettenuzzo
C,.Marcolongo R. Professional Educator,
Hospital Training Unit, Padua University
Hospital, General Practitioner, Padua,
Physician, Padua, Physician immunologist,
Clinical Immunology Unit, Padua University
Hospital
Results
Introduction
In the evaluation of the two experimental TPE
programmes both a qualitative and a quantitative
analysis were applied. The results of SLE
patients questionnaires, expressed as percentage
of right answers before and after TPE, showed an
average increase of the knowledge level from
60.5 to 74. The qualitative analysis of
conceptual maps of asthmatic patients revealed a
more structured and complete reorganisation of
knowledge about health, disease and treatment.
Moreover, the percentage of wrong concepts
significantly decreased after TPE.
Today many people with chronic diseases ask
complete information about disease and treatment
in order to share therapeutic decision and
responsibility with their doctors. Consequently,
doctors and other healthcare professionals,
besides ordinary support, are often requested to
provide patients with adequate information.
Indeed, regular and reliable exchange of
information between healthcare personnel and
patients is essential in establishing an empathic
and reassuring therapeutic partnership. By
contrast, incomplete, incorrect or misleading
information exchange may cause bad or even fatal
consequences on patients health, producing
anxiety and deteriorating human relationships.
Methods and study Population
The Clinical Immunology Unit of Padua University
Hospital together with the Community Health
Service (CHS) started two experimental
therapeutic patient education (TPE) programmes
addressed to patients suffering from systemic
lupus erythematousus (SLE) and bronchial asthma
respectively. During a series of structured
teaching sessions, small groups of patients
received information about disease and treatment
and learned some basic self-management skills
from healthcare personnel. In 2002, 18 SLE
patients of the Clinical Immunology Unit and 11
asthmatic patients of a general practitioner of
Padua CSH have been enrolled in the TPE
programmes. Before and after education, the
knowledge of SLE patients about disease,
treatment, diet and physical activity was
evaluated by a multiple choice questionnaire,
whereas asthmatic patients' knowledge and beliefs
about disease and treatment were evaluated by
means of a conceptual map.
Discussion
The increase of health literacy and knowledge
level of patients and their caregivers after TPE
may help them to self-manage the disease and
therapy. It is then conceivable that, promoting
the integration of new concepts and knowledge in
patients semantic network, TPE might prompt them
to adopt a correct health behaviour, increasing
the quality of their life.
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Dr. Renzo Marcolongo
Clinical Immunology Unit, Padua Universital
Hospital via Giustiniani, 3 35128 PADUA
(Italy) E-mail renzo.marcolongo_at_unipd.it
THERAPEUTIC PATIENT EDUCATION LABORATORY PADUA
(ITALY)