Creating and validating educational material for patients undergoing orthognathic surgery.

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Patient Education
• Health Communication

Background:

• Orthognathic surgery requires comprehensive patient understanding of perioperative care.
• Existing educational materials may not adequately address patient needs and perceptions.
• Effective patient education is crucial for optimizing surgical outcomes and recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create and validate a comprehensive educational booklet for patients undergoing orthognathic surgery.
• To ensure the educational material is understandable, relevant, and addresses patient concerns.
• To improve patient preparedness and reduce anxiety associated with orthognathic surgery.

Main Methods:

• A five-phase approach was employed, including literature review, patient needs assessment via online communities, focus groups, Delphi technique with specialists, and patient validation.
• Literature review focused on surgical complications.
• Patient insights were gathered through blogs, virtual communities, and focus groups, followed by expert and patient validation.

Main Results:

• The initial phases and first Delphi round generated a draft perioperative patient booklet.
• Subsequent Delphi rounds refined the material based on expert feedback.
• The final booklet was validated by patients for clarity and usefulness.

Conclusions:

• Developing effective patient educational materials for orthognathic surgery necessitates a deep understanding of the patient population.
• Collaboration with relevant healthcare professionals and the use of high-quality graphic aids are essential for creating impactful educational resources.
• A multi-faceted validation process, including patient input, ensures the material meets the intended educational goals.