Enhanced education for bowel preparation before colonoscopy: A state-of-the-art review

Colonoscopy remains the mainstay in diagnosing and monitoring colorectal cancer and other colorectal lesions. The diagnostic efficiency of colonoscopy greatly depends on the quality of bowel preparation, which is closely associated with the patient's compliance with the preparation instructions. In addition, the procedural requirements of bowel preparation are often complex and difficult for patients to comprehend and memorize, especially those with lower health literacy and motivation. Therefore, in recent years, many educational methods have been developed, such as educational booklets, cartoon visual aids, educational videos, short message service, telephone, social media and smart phone applications. These educational methods have significantly improved compliance with the instructions for bowel preparation and ultimately promoted the visualization of the colon in patients undergoing colonoscopy.