Qualitative Investigation of Health Information Resources for Caregivers and Individuals Living With Spinal Cord Injury

Health care satisfaction and medical literacy habits among caregivers of individuals with Down syndrome

Patients with Down syndrome have significant specialized health care needs. Our objective was to understand the needs, satisfaction, and online habits of caregivers as they care for persons with Down syndrome. A mixed-method survey was distributed through REDCap from April 2022 to June 2022 in the United States; a Spanish-translated version was distributed through SurveyMonkey from August 2022 to March 2023 in Mexico. We received 290 completed responses from the United States and 58 from caregivers in Mexico. We found that current health care options are not meeting the needs of many individuals with DS in both the United States (39.7%) and Mexico (46.6%). Caregivers expressed frustrations with the inaccessibility and inapplicability of health care information. In particular, they often found the volume of information overwhelming, given their limited medical background. Additionally, health care recommendations were not customized and lacked practical recommendations. Most caregivers in both the United States (72.1%) and Mexico (82.8%) believe it is not easy to find answers to medical questions about their loved ones with DS. Online platforms with customized, specific health information related to DS could offer innovative solutions to these unmet needs for families and primary care providers.

Experiences of caregivers and individuals living with traumatic brain injury in accessing health information: a qualitative investigation

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Rehabilitation and treatment of chronic symptoms of traumatic brain injury (TBI) present life-long challenges. This qualitative study aimed to understand the experience of individuals with TBI and caregivers in finding and using health information and to understand their interest in participating in research.

METHODS

Participants were recruited through hospital listservs, websites, social media, and word of mouth from across the US. A qualitative constructivism research method was used to analyze responses from semi-structured interviews with 24 individuals, 11 with TBI and 13 caregivers.

RESULTS

Three major themes emerged from the analyses: 1) processes and resources for finding TBI-related health information, 2) reliability of information, and 3) participation in research. Study participants described using the internet, consulting with healthcare professionals, reading research articles, and seeking out information from other individuals with TBI or caregivers to search for information. Participants also shared their experiences related to evaluating the reliability of information and the impact of individuals with TBI and caregivers participating on research teams.

CONCLUSION

Participants identified various needs in finding relevant health information and highlighted gaps in searching for and using health information. Participants identified an overarching need for improved dissemination of information that is both accessible and reliable.

Simulation- vs. Didactic-Based Learning for Rehabilitation Nurses Caring for Patients With Autonomic Dysreflexia

PURPOSE

Autonomic dysreflexia (AD) is associated with spinal cord injury, manifesting in symptoms of high blood pressure, bradycardia, headache, diaphoresis, and anxiety. Nurses often manage these symptoms; thus, nursing knowledge of AD is crucial. The purpose of this study was to improve AD nursing knowledge while exploring differences between simulation and didactic learning in nurse education.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This prospective pilot study used two types of learning (simulation vs. didactic) to determine if one was superior to the other regarding nursing knowledge of AD. Nurses were given a pretest, randomized to simulation or didactic learning, and then given a posttest 3 months later.

RESULTS

Thirty nurses were enrolled in this study. Seventy-seven percent of nurses held a BSN degree with an average of 15.75 years in nursing. The mean knowledge scores for AD at baseline for the control (13.9 [2.4]) and intervention (15.5 [2.9]) groups were not statistically different ( p = .1118). The mean knowledge scores for AD after either didactic- or simulation-based education for the control (15.5 [4.4]) and intervention (16.5 [3.4]) groups were not statistically different ( p = .5204).

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Autonomic dysreflexia is a critical clinical diagnosis that requires prompt nursing intervention to prevent threatening consequences. This study focused on how different methods of education best benefited AD knowledge acquisition and how simulation versus didactic learning impacts overall nursing education.

CONCLUSIONS

As a whole, providing nurses with AD education was helpful in improving their understanding of the syndrome. However, our data suggest that both didactic and simulation are equally effective methods to increase AD knowledge.