Mixed qualitative and quantitative approach for validating an information booklet before total hip arthroplasty

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Patient Education
• Health Psychology

Background:

• Discrepancies between patient expectations and surgical outcomes in total hip arthroplasty (THA) can be reduced by providing validated pre-operative information.
• Effective patient education is crucial for managing expectations and improving satisfaction after THA.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate an information booklet for THA candidates using a mixed-methods approach.
• To assess the booklet's impact on patient knowledge, beliefs, and expectations.

Main Methods:

• A multidisciplinary expert panel reviewed and validated the booklet.
• Focus groups were conducted with healthcare professionals involved in hip osteoarthritis care.
• Patients awaiting or recently undergone THA assessed the booklet via questionnaires and interviews.

Main Results:

• The booklet was validated by experts and both patient groups for content and presentation.
• Reading the booklet significantly improved knowledge scores in all patients (P<0.001).
• Pre-operative patients' expectations significantly changed after reading the booklet; beliefs remained unaffected.

Conclusions:

• A mixed-methods approach successfully validated an information booklet for THA patients.
• The validated booklet effectively enhances patient knowledge and modifies expectations, particularly pre-operatively.
• This validated resource supports informed decision-making and expectation management for hip arthroplasty candidates.