Patient preferences regarding educational pamphlets in the family practice center

Educational pamphlets are widely used in family practice offices despite few studies on patient attitudes toward this educational technique. The purpose of this study was to: 1) determine how frequently patients perceive that pamphlets are used and how often they are desired; 2) determine what is usually done with pamphlets; and 3) determine patient preferences regarding requesting pamphlets, location of unsolicited pamphlets, techniques of getting pamphlets, and style of pamphlets. In this survey of 360 patients, 90% reported wanting a pamphlet at some or all of their office visits. Overall, 67% reported reading or looking through and saving pamphlets received, 30% read or looked through them and then threw them away, and only 2% threw them away without review. Only 11% of males and 26% of females reported ever asking a doctor for pamphlets. Some conclusions are that: 1) more patients desire pamphlets than are receiving them; 2) most patients do save pamphlets; and 3) patients need encouragement and permission to ask for pamphlets.