Improving patient knowledge of palliative care: A randomized controlled intervention study.
Elissa Kozlov, M Carrington Reid, Brian D Carpenter
PMID 28034612WHAT IT FOUND
A three-minute palliative care video or information page improved laypeople's knowledge and confidence more than unrelated content.
The two formats did not differ, but the study did not test patients with serious illness or care use.
Key findings
01A brief palliative care educational intervention improved post-test knowledge compared with control.
02A video and an information page did not differ in improving knowledge.
03Participants' confidence in their answers increased after the intervention, and this increase was larger than the knowledge increase.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study used a community sample of adults, not patients with serious or life-limiting illness, so it may not apply to the people who would actually receive palliative care. Knowledge and confidence were measured only shortly after the intervention, so it is not known whether gains last. The scale had no 'I don't know' option, so some correct answers may have been guesses. The study did not test whether increased knowledge leads to palliative care referral, acceptance, or other patient outcomes. Ten participants were excluded from final analyses because of missing knowledge-scale data.
Declared interests
The supplied text does not state author conflicts or funding details, although the publication types list NIH and non-U.S. government research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that this improves palliative care use or patient outcomes. It studied laypersons, not patients with serious illness, and it measured knowledge and confidence only.