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A randomized single-blind evaluation of a discharge teaching book for pediatric patients with burns
H M Jenkins1, V Blank, K Miller
1Department of Physiotherapy-Child and Women's Health, Winnipeg Children's Hospital, Manitoba, Canada.
Insights
A new pediatric burn discharge book improved caregiver knowledge of burn care. However, factors like ethnic and language background significantly influenced knowledge levels more than the book itself.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric medicine
- Burn care research
- Health education
Background:
- Pediatric burn injuries require specialized caregiver knowledge for effective management.
- Discharge education plays a crucial role in ensuring continuity of care and preventing complications.
- Assessing the impact of educational tools on caregiver knowledge is vital for improving patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a modular, multidisciplinary pediatric burn discharge book on caregiver knowledge and satisfaction.
- To determine if the discharge book improves burn-care-related knowledge among caregivers of pediatric burn patients.
- To explore factors influencing caregiver knowledge in the context of pediatric burn discharge education.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial was conducted with pediatric burn patients under 17 years.
- Families were assigned to receive either a discharge book (intervention) or routine teaching (comparison).
- Caregiver knowledge and satisfaction were assessed via questionnaire at the first outpatient follow-up visit.
Main Results:
- Caregivers receiving the discharge book demonstrated significantly greater burn-care knowledge (p < 0.05).
- The positive effect of the book was not observed in North American Indian (NAI) families when analyzed separately (p = 0.18).
- Book effectiveness was limited to families of children with scald burns; ethnic and language background were stronger predictors of knowledge.
Conclusions:
- The pediatric burn discharge book enhanced caregiver knowledge of burn care.
- Caregiver knowledge is significantly influenced by factors such as ethnic origin, primary language, and home safety devices.
- Further research is needed to tailor educational interventions to diverse populations for optimal burn care education.
Abstract:
To evaluate the influence of a modular, multidisciplinary, pediatric burn discharge book on burn-care-related knowledge and satisfaction of caregivers, we studied children less than 17 years of age admitted with an acute thermal injury to the pediatric burn unit of a large, tertiary care hospital in Winnipeg, Canada over a 32 month period. Demographic characteristics of the population are similar to published profiles of other pediatric burn units with the exception that North American Indian (NAI) families were disproportionately admitted, with 59 out of the 123 (48%) admissions from a geographic area that has less than 15% NAIs. We randomly assigned the families to receive discharge instructions with the book (intervention group) or routine discharge teaching without the book (comparison group). Knowledge levels of burn care and satisfaction with discharge teaching of caregivers were evaluated with a questionnaire administered in single-blind fashion at the first outpatient follow-up visit. Sixty-two families received the book and 61 families received standard discharge teaching. Bivariate analysis showed greater knowledge in the intervention group, with an average score (range, 0.0 to 1.0) of 0.79 +/- 0.15 versus 0.73 +/- 0.15 in the comparison group (p < 0.05). We did not observe this positive effect of the book when we analyzed NAI families separately: 28 families instructed with the book scored 0.68 +/- 0.14 versus 0.63 +/- 0.13 in 31 families provided with routine teaching (p = 0.18). Stepwise multiple-regression analysis found that the influence of the book was limited to families with children who sustained scald burns (p < 0.05). Factors negatively related to the knowledge levels of caregivers (p < 0.05) were being of NAI origin and being NAI with no safety devices in the home. A positive correlation (p < 0.05) was found with having English as the first language, having a child with more extensive burns, having a younger age of the child with burns, and having fewer children in the home. In conclusion, we found that the discharge book improved the burn-care-related knowledge of caregivers. However, other factors, particularly ethnic and language background, were of greater influence.