Authors

Beatriz Díez Sánchez1, Sandra Cabrera Jaime2, Cristina Casanovas Cuéllar3, Rosa Mª López Castilla4, Alejandra Fumanal Domenech5, Mª José Creus Castilla4, Mª Victoria Vilchez Hidalgo4,Consuelo Molinos Gonzalo4, Anna Suñol Camas4

Position

Beatriz Díez Sánchez¹, Sandra Cabrera Jaime², Cristina Casanovas Cuéllar³, Rosa Mª López Castilla⁴, Alejandra Fumanal Domenech⁵, Mª José Creus Castilla⁴, Mª Victoria Vilchez Hidalgo⁴,Consuelo Molinos Gonzalo⁴, Anna Suñol Camas⁴

Contact address

Beatriz Díez Sánchez. C/ Cantabria, 51-entlo 1ª. 08020 Barcelona.

Contact email: bdiez.germanstrias@gencat.cat

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate the efficacy in terms of knowledge and management of epilepsy of a systematic personalized educational intervention (SPEI) vs. conventional care, in patients hospitalized with drug-resistant epilepsy and their relatives, during their stay at the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit in the Hospital Universitario Germans Trias i Pujol (Barcelona).
Method: a controlled and randomized clinical trial, with a sample of 20 patients and 20 relatives. A SPEI was conducted on the experimental group by specialized nurses, targeted to epileptic patients hospitalized in the unit and accompanied by a relative (the control arm received the usual care). Dependent variable: knowledge and management of epilepsy after the educational intervention, at six months and at one year, with ad hoc tools (score 0 to 36). The hypothesis contrast tests used were: Student’s t, Mann-Whitney’s U, Wilcoxon test, and Friedman test.
Results: a final sample of 42 participants (21 patients and 21 relatives). In the case of patients, the impact of educational intervention was statistically significant in favour of the experimental arm vs. the control arm at discharge (p= <0.001) and at six months (p= 0.003), but not at 12 months (p= 0.111). In the relatives arm, statistically significant differences were only found at discharge (p= 0.016), but not at six months (p= 0.593), or at 12 months (p= 0.104).
Conclusions: the educational intervention has an impact on the level of knowledge regarding epilepsy management by patients and relatives. The outcomes obtained are encouraging to continue the implementation of the educational program, and to conduct health education in the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit.

Keywords:

health education; Epilepsy; resistance to drugs; quality of life; family; hospitalization; research; randomized controlled clinical trial

Versión en Español

Título:

Eficacia de la educación sanitaria a pacientes y familiares en la Unidad de Monitorización de Epilepsia