The Effectiveness of Patient Education Interventions to Oncological Entero-Urostomy Patients and Caregivers: A Small Sample Size Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND

Patient education (PE) is an integral part of treatment from taking charge to the care, assistance, and rehabilitation of the patient, and consists of structured, organised actions, the orientation of which is aimed at finding solutions supported by scientific evidence.

AIM

This prospective, descriptive, exploratory, single-centre pilot study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a PE intervention for oncological patients with entero-urostomies and their caregivers through the measurement of quality of life, perceived needs, and caregiver burden.

METHODS

This study was conducted in a National Cancer Institute between 22 December 2022 and 31 March 2023, and it was organised into three specific therapeutic education event days relative to the real needs measured by the patients and caregivers before it.

RESULTS

Our results seem to suggest that the PE intervention in entero-urostomy patients improves their quality-of-life levels, while caregivers' perceived emotional burden levels are reduced.

CONCLUSIONS

Targeted and individualised PE interventions positively affect self-care and quality of life in patients with an entero-urostomy and the emotional burden perceived by caregivers.