Use of audiovisual media to enhance patients' knowledge regarding the oral adverse effects of oncology treatment

Abstract

Objective: the present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of didactic alternatives, namely the audiovisualmedia, in conveying information regarding the oral adverse effects of oncology treatment in cancer patients.Methods: cancer patients were randomly divided into two groups: control group (n = 40) and audiovisualgroup (n = 36). The control group received verbal information regarding the oral side effects of cancer treatment.Conversely, the audiovisual group received the same verbal information, along with an illustrativeaudiovisual media presentation. Additionally, questionnaires on the subject were administered before andafter the intervention by the dental team. Results: the current study employed Fisher’s exact test for statisticalanalysis, and the results showed statistical similarity between the two groups (P > 0.05). Both educational approaches achieved the intended objective. Conclusion: a well-conducted dialogue can create adequate awareness among cancer patients and improve adaptation. Optionally, the use of innovative techniques, such as audiovisual resources, was observed to be an accessible and efficient alternative that can also be used in patient education. Therefore, educational videos can be used to improve patients understanding, adherence to therapeutic regimens, and quality of life and contribute to a better prognosis.