By first asking patients what information would help them better prepare for a colonoscopy, UCLA and Veterans Affairs researchers developed a user-friendly booklet to help patients ready themselves for the procedure, according to a UCLA news release.
Up to a quarter of patients undergo a colonoscopy with inadequate bowel preparation, which can limit the effectiveness of the procedure and lead to missed polyps and incomplete or aborted procedures. In preparing the booklet, the team first met with patients to glean knowledge, attitudes and beliefs that might drive inadequate colonoscopy preparation.
Researchers then created the booklet using high-quality visual elements, such as pictures of what patients can and cannot eat during colonoscopy preparation. The booklet also included frequently asked questions, a checklist and calendar for when to take purgatory medications. Researchers ran the draft booklet by another group of patients before finalizing it.
Researchers sent the booklet to a group of 216 patients at a VA hospital a week ahead of their scheduled colonoscopies. A control group of 220 patients received the normal preparation instructions. Researchers found that patients given the booklet were far more likely to arrive for their colonoscopy with a "good" preparation than patients who had received the usual preparation instructions (68 percent vs. 46 percent).
To obtain a free electronic version of the booklet, click here. Select the publication category "Other Health Services," then choose the booklet version of the two PDF copies of "Getting Ready for Your Colonoscopy."
Read the news release about the UCLA/VA education booklet on colonoscopy preparation.
Read other coverage about colonoscopy:
- Chicago Shows Greatest Regional Increase in Covered Virtual Colonoscopies
- Interactive Voice Response System Just as Effective as Nurse Call for Endoscopy Completion
- Gastroenterologist Reflects on Growing Number of Trials Related to Bowel Prep
Up to a quarter of patients undergo a colonoscopy with inadequate bowel preparation, which can limit the effectiveness of the procedure and lead to missed polyps and incomplete or aborted procedures. In preparing the booklet, the team first met with patients to glean knowledge, attitudes and beliefs that might drive inadequate colonoscopy preparation.
Researchers then created the booklet using high-quality visual elements, such as pictures of what patients can and cannot eat during colonoscopy preparation. The booklet also included frequently asked questions, a checklist and calendar for when to take purgatory medications. Researchers ran the draft booklet by another group of patients before finalizing it.
Researchers sent the booklet to a group of 216 patients at a VA hospital a week ahead of their scheduled colonoscopies. A control group of 220 patients received the normal preparation instructions. Researchers found that patients given the booklet were far more likely to arrive for their colonoscopy with a "good" preparation than patients who had received the usual preparation instructions (68 percent vs. 46 percent).
To obtain a free electronic version of the booklet, click here. Select the publication category "Other Health Services," then choose the booklet version of the two PDF copies of "Getting Ready for Your Colonoscopy."
Read the news release about the UCLA/VA education booklet on colonoscopy preparation.
Read other coverage about colonoscopy:
- Chicago Shows Greatest Regional Increase in Covered Virtual Colonoscopies
- Interactive Voice Response System Just as Effective as Nurse Call for Endoscopy Completion
- Gastroenterologist Reflects on Growing Number of Trials Related to Bowel Prep