Exploring the educational needs of patients with systemic vasculitis using the educational needs assessment tool

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Patient Education
• Vasculitis Research

Background:

• Health literacy and patient knowledge are crucial for managing chronic conditions like ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV).
• While educational needs in rheumatology are documented, specific requirements for AAV patients remain underexplored.
• Understanding these needs is vital for developing targeted educational interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the educational needs of patients diagnosed with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV).
• To utilize the Educational Needs Assessment Tool (ENAT) for a comprehensive evaluation.
• To identify specific domains where AAV patients require more information and support.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional observational study involving adult patients with AAV.
• The Educational Needs Assessment Tool (ENAT) was administered to capture educational requirements.
• Data were analyzed considering demographics (sex, age, education) and disease characteristics (diagnosis, duration, activity).

Main Results:

• The overall mean ENAT score indicated substantial educational needs among AAV patients (57% of maximum score).
• Key areas of high educational need included disease process (78%), self-management (69%), and treatments (64%).
• Women and patients with disease duration of 2 years or less reported significantly higher educational needs across multiple domains and overall.

Conclusions:

• ANCA-associated vasculitis patients exhibit considerable educational needs, highlighting a gap in current patient support.
• Specific patient groups, namely women and those with shorter disease duration, require tailored educational strategies.
• Enhanced patient education has the potential to improve self-care behaviors and adherence to treatment regimens for AAV.