Effectiveness of a Multimedia Patient Education Intervention on Improving Self-care Knowledge and Skills in Patients with Colorectal Cancer after Enterostomy Surgery: A Pilot Study

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE Colorectal cancer is most commonly treated through surgery. Self-care knowledge and skills are instrumental for disease adaptation once the patient returns home. Therefore, this study examined the effects of a multimedia patient education intervention on improving self-care knowledge and skills in patients with colorectal cancer who underwent colostomy surgery. METHODS A quasi-experimental design was adopted to measure the self-care knowledge and skills of patients with colorectal cancer before and after surgery. The experimental group (n = 33) received a multimedia patient education intervention, whereas the control group (n = 30) was provided conventional instructions. Results were evaluated using analysis of covariance. RESULTS On the day prior to discharge from hospital, the experimental group exhibited significantly greater improvement in self-care knowledge than did the control group. The experimental group also exhibited significantly greater improvement in self-care skills than did the control group on the day of gas passage, the day prior to discharge from hospital, and during the first clinic visit after discharge from the hospital. CONCLUSIONS Multimedia patient education intervention yielded greater improvement in self-care knowledge and skills than did conventional instruction. Therefore, multimedia patient education is an adequate educational tool for patients with colorectal cancer who have undergone colostomy surgery.