Lumbar puncture patient video increases knowledge and reduces uncertainty: An RCT

Rosha Babapour Mofrad; Agnetha D Fruijtier; Leonie N C Visser; Nina Hoogland; Maisa van Dijk; Frederique van Rossum; Femke H Bouwman; Ellen M A Smets; Charlotte E Teunissen; Wiesje M van der Flier

doi:10.1002/trc2.12127

Lumbar puncture patient video increases knowledge and reduces uncertainty: An RCT

Alzheimers Dement (N Y). 2021 Feb 14;7(1):e12127. doi: 10.1002/trc2.12127. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Neurochemistry Laboratory and Biobank Department of Clinical Chemistry, Amsterdam Neuroscience VU University Medical Center Amsterdam Amsterdam UMC Amsterdam the Netherlands.
² Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Center, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam VU University Medical Center Amsterdam UMC Amsterdam the Netherlands.
³ Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health University of Amsterdam Amsterdam UMC Amsterdam the Netherlands.
⁴ Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam VU University Medical Center Amsterdam UMC Amsterdam the Netherlands.
⁵ Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics VU University Medical Center Amsterdam UMC Amsterdam the Netherlands.

Abstract

Background: Patients often perceive a lumbar puncture (LP) as an invasive procedure. We aimed to evaluate the impact of a 3-minute educational animation-video explaining the LP procedure, on patients' knowledge, uncertainty, anxiety, and post-LP complications.

Methods: We included 203 newly referred memory clinic patients, who were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) home viewing of the video, (2) clinic viewing of the video, or (3) control condition (care as usual). Participants completed questionnaires measuring knowledge as information recall, uncertainty, anxiety, and post-LP complications, the latter when patients underwent an LP procedure (n = 145).

Results: Viewing the video increased information recall for both home (P < .001), and clinic viewers (P < .001) compared to controls. Levels of uncertainty decreased after viewing (P_{for interaction}= .044), particularly for clinic viewers. Viewing the video or not did not affect anxiety and post-LP complications.

Discussion: Preparing individuals for an LP by means of an educational video can help to increase knowledge about the procedure and reduce feelings of uncertainty.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; educational animation‐video; information provision; lumbar puncture; memory clinics; patient education; post‐lumbar puncture complications.