Early period information need and its influencing factors of craniocerebral injury in patients′ relatives

Abstract

Objective To study the information need in early period and its influencing factors of craniocerebral injury patients′ relatives. Methods A total of 180 patients′ relatives from three general hospitals in Wenzhou were selected by stratified random sampling. Their information need was investigated by an original scale. The results were analyzed by statistical methods. Results The score of the scale was (21.28±2.27). Within the dimensions, the highest and the lowest scores were (3.56±0.31) and (2.61±0.48), which were injury state and hospital rules, respectively. The relatives of patients who had been in hospital for less than three days had more information need on injury state, therapeutic measure, examination method, family cooperation and hospital rules than those of patients who had been in hospital for more than three days. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The relatives of patients with severe craniocerebral injury had more information need on injury state, therapeutic measure, examination method, doctor and nurse competency, treatment cost and family cooperation than those of patients with mild and moderate craniocerebral injury. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The relatives with high education degree had more information need on therapeutic measure, doctor and nurse competency and family cooperation than those with low education degree. The differences were significant (P<0.05). The relatives′ satisfaction with the information provided by doctors and nurses was positively related to their satisfaction with total work of doctors and nurses (r=0.495, P<0.01). Conclusions The relatives of patients with craniocerebral injury have much information need. Patients′ length of hospital stay and injury degree, and relatives′ education degree may be the influencing factors of information need. Providing the relatives with the information need can improve their satisfaction with total work of doctors and nurses. Key words: Craniocerebral injury; Patients′ relatives; Information need; Influencing factors