Severity of illness - implications for information management by patients

As more and more people are living with chronic diseases, there is a greater need for patients to have access to accurate and reliable information about health in general and their own health care in particular. In this study we explored how patients suffering from chronic heart insufficiency who needed post-hospital home nursing care assessed their need for health information and their use of the health information they received. Fourteen patients were interviewed in their homes one week after their discharge. Using a thematic approach, we identified three main areas: the hospital systems for providing information to patients, how patients processed the information, and how patients managed the information. Next of kin had a significant role in information management for the patient. The patient's condition has implications for his or her ability to manage the information, and therefore it seems important to customize information according to the patient's level of comprehension.