Postoperative patient education: a systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: Knowledge of the effects of the specific approach, mode of delivery, and dose of educational interventions is essential to develop and implement effective postoperative educational interventions. Understanding the relationships of patient characteristics to outcomes is important for educational interventions.

Purpose and method: The purpose of this systematic review was to examine who would most benefit from postoperative education, given in what type of approach and mode, and at what dose? The sample included 58 studies involving 5,271 participants.

Major results: Findings indicate that delivery of postoperative patient education through the individualization of content, use of combined media for delivery, provision of education on a one-on-one basis, and in multiple sessions is associated with improvement in educational/health outcomes. Samples that contained individuals younger than 50 years and higher percentages of males showed benefits in outcomes of moderate magnitude.

Application: The results highlight the importance of attending to the characteristics of both the elements of postoperative educational interventions and the individual patients in the design and delivery of patient education.