What do out-patients on oral anticoagulants know about their treatment?
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Matilla Navarro MS et ál. ¿Qué saben los pacientes ambulatorios con anticoagulantes orales sobre su tratamiento? Metas de Enferm may 2012; 15(4): 14-20
Authors
1Mª Socorro Matilla Navarro, 2Alicia Arranz Asenjo, 1Mª Jesús Aicua Lasterra, 1Asunción Belinchón Moya
Position
1Enfermera. Centro de Salud Periodistas, Madrid. 2Auxiliar de Enfermería. Centro de Salud Periodistas, Madrid.
Contact address
Mª Socorro Matilla Navarro. C/ Collado de Cerro Malejo, 8, portal 3. 28035 Madrid.
Contact email: coralmatilla@gmail.com
Abstract
Objectives: to describe what knowledge patients taking oral anticoagulant treatment (OAT) have regarding interactions with other medicines, foods, alcohol and potential complications and to find out the influence of having received information from the health professional and the treatment time on such knowledge.
Material and method: cross-sectional study by means of a questionnaire in a urban health center of Madrid on a sample of 220 patients. Study variables: knowledge that patients on OAT have about their treatment (dependent), information received about treatment, treatment time, age, sex and educational level. Univariate and bivariate (Chi square and student t) analyses were performed with calculation of safety confidence intervals (CI) at 95%.
Results: 42,5% (95% CI: 35-50) had an appropriate level of knowledge. 72,9% knew that alcohol may interfere with the OAT. 55,5% claimed to have received information on everything related to the OAT by their doctor or nurse. A statistically significant association was found between the level of knowledge and age (older patients with adequate knowledge; p = 0,0001) and number of years in treatment (younger patients, better knowledge; p = 0,03).
Conclusions: the percentage of patients with adequate knowledge is similar to other studies, but still too low for what would be desirable, since it is an issue for which patient involvement is fundamental. The fact that many patients claim that they have not received complete information about their treatment, raises the question on whether the type of information provided and how it is transmitted is still appropriate for the needs and characteristics of these patients.
Keywords:
Descriptive Study; health advice; Health Education; knowledge; OAT; Oral anticoagulation; Primary Health Careresearch
Versión en Español
Título:
¿Qué saben los pacientes ambulatorios con anticoagulantes orales sobre su tratamiento?
