Conocimientos adquiridos mediante una intervención educativa grupal en pacientes con tratamiento anticoagulante oral

Abstract

Objective: to analyse the increase in knowledge and level of satisfaction achieved through an educational intervention for persons on anticoagulant therapy (OAT) followed up at Primary Care. Method: a before-and-after study without control arm. The population was formed by patients on OAT followed up at the Gran Canaria Health Area (40 primary care centres (PCCs); N=11, 808). The sample was calculated at 250 persons. A theoretical education session (40 minutes), and a practical session (60 minutes) were led by a nurse with groups from eight to sixteen persons. The following variables were measured at baseline: sociodemographic, clinical, treatment-related, knowledge on anticoagulation measured with the OAK questionnaire (minimum score: 0, maximum score: 20 points), and satisfaction with the session. Knowledge was re-evaluated at four months. Descriptive and bivariate statistics was conducted. Results: the study included 145 persons from 23PCCs (x= 66.9 years; 55.2% male). There was an increase in the proportion of correct answers and a reduction in blank answers for all questions; the change in 16 of them was statistically significant (p< 0.05). There was a statistically significant increase in the mean score for the OAK questionnaire [pre-test (= 9.6); post-test (=13.8); p= 0.000)]. In total, 845 of the subjects had improved their knowledge after their participation in the session; 80% or more found that different aspects of the session were very adequate, and 91% would recommend it to other patients. Conclusion: there was a higher level of knowledge regarding anticoagulation four months after participating in the group educational session led by a nurse.