Importance of format and design in print patient information

PURPOSE: The purposes of this descriptive study were to: identify character istics of print education materials thai healthcare providers report as imp ortant to patients, compare whether Physician Data Query; (PDQ) information that was provided in its original form, or nas redesigned in color and bla ck and white, influenced the distribution of this information: and explore whether providing PDQ information cia patient information racks would incre ase patients' awareness of and use of PDQ information. DESCRIPTION OF STUDY: Forty-four oncology healthcare professionals were ask ed to complete a survey identifying characteristics that they believed impo rtant for effective print educational materials. PDQ statements were reform atted and placed in brochure racks for a 6-month period. The number of stat ements distributed before and after this time period were compared. Subsequ ently PDQ statements were placed sequentially for a 3-week period in brochu re racks in the following formats: original form as printed from the comput er: redesigned with color print and redesigned with black ink only. RESULTS: The following characteristics were rated "very important'' aspects of print educational materials by oncology healthcare professionals: appro priate reading level clarity; credibility of the information; whether infor mation is current/up-to-date; and patient acceptance of material. The chara cteristic receiving the fewest "very important" marks mas attractiveness/ey e appeal. The reported low marks on attractiveness/eye appeal contradict th e concurrent findings that, after the redesign of PDQ statements (change in booklet size use of color, increase in font size for tat and headings, inc lusion of a vertical bar to separate columns), there was a ninefold increas e in the number PDQ statements distributed. Eighty-nine percent of the stat ements distributed were the redesigned version. The nse of color, however, did not appear to make a difference in the number of PDQ statements dissemi nated after the redesign. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: In developing print education materials for cancer p atients, the format, design, and placement of materials for patient access need to be considered. There are many valuable educational materials availa ble on computer databases. Downloading the information and placing it in a brochure format mag be an ideal approach for providing access to this infor mation. Further-more, because physicians and nurses have different prioriti es for printed patient education materials, it is important to involve both groups in the development of the brochures.