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Need for appropriate written information for patients, with particular reference to head and neck cancer
Author(s) -
SEMPLE CHERITH J.,
McGOWAN BRIAN
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of clinical nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.94
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1365-2702
pISSN - 0962-1067
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2702.2002.00641.x
Subject(s) - head and neck , medicine , health professionals , intervention (counseling) , health care , head and neck cancer , information needs , medline , cancer , family medicine , nursing , computer science , surgery , world wide web , political science , law , economics , economic growth
• Patients need and want written information. There is evidence that giving comprehensible information increases overall satisfaction with the care given by healthcare professionals. • This paper provides a review of the literature on patients' need for appropriate information, with particular reference to head and neck cancer, based on searches of electronic databases. • Head and neck cancers are among the least common cancers in the UK but these patients have very specific and great needs. • Written information is a cost‐effective intervention that complements verbal advice given by healthcare professionals. • Evidence suggests that patient information leaflets are poor and are in language that is difficult for the public to understand. • Considerable time, effort and user involvement are required to produce acceptable and appropriate information leaflets for patients.