Understanding Health Information Needs: An Evaluation of Co-Design Video-Assisted Education

People with cancer and their families are often provided with a range of complex written and verbal information to help them manage treatment and side effects at home. This study explored the health information needs of patients and family members and investigated the influence of video-assisted health education on their understanding of the information. A co-design framework with health consumers and clinicians was used to identify concepts and create videos. Qualitative interviews with a thematic analysis explored their health information needs and the influence of the videos. The sample was persons affected by brain, head and neck and gastrointestinal cancer. Eleven interviews were conducted with patients and family members, aged between 39 and 82 years. The health literacy levels reported by participants highlighted the need for help with medical information and forms. Four themes were developed: sorting through information, acceptability of videos, information presentation and balance of caring. Providing health information in multiple formats and tailoring it to individuals' health literacy levels can reinforce key messages from health professionals and contribute to improved health outcomes. Video-assisted health education enhances patients' and families' understanding and supports informed decision-making about cancer treatment and self-care at home. While digital resources offer a promising avenue for improving comprehension, access and usability are influenced by varying levels of digital literacy, an area that warrants further investigation.