Leeds Metropolitan University Patient Education on Lower Back Pain Pamphlet

Patient education handout projectPurpose: Think about the last time you sat in the waiting room before seeing a healthcare provider. Besides magazines, there were probably patient education handouts. These pamphlets usually describe different diseases or common complaints and are an important part of patient education. But in order to be helpful, they must be tailored to your patient population. Why do these materials matter? By Thomas A. Lang They are an extension of medical care. The goal is to improve patients’ health and quality of life. They reinforce what was said. Spoken messages are forgotten quickly and a physical handout can increase retention. Patients form opinions about their caregivers from patient education handouts! The message is, “if this is important to them, it should be important to me.” This project is especially important for our class as we create materials for the people of Puerto Rico. One of our goals is to increase access to care and education and this is one way we can make a concrete difference! Project: You are to create a pamphlet for patient education on the topic ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Gestational diabetes Atrial fibrillation and anticoagulation Sexual assault Mammogram screening for breast cancer Veterans: what to expect when you return from deployment eCigarettes, vaping, and Juuls Low back pain Preventing falls in older persons This is worth 30% of your grade so please take the time to make it professional. If using a trifold format, confirm that it prints and folds as expected. Pamphlets handed in upside down and/or reverse will lose points. Submissions will be accepted in either Spanish or English, but preferably in both. Length: 2 pages (front and back) Please follow the tips below regarding how to create a handout/pamphlet. Tips for creating a patient handout/pamphlet • Document font should adequate enough for the reader to read easily • List sources/references • Avoid acronyms and contractions- spell out all words • Use simple, declarative sentences • Use simple words with one or two syllables • Use words and phrases familiar to the audience • Avoid using too much space between the paragraph headings • Avoid technical words or jargon. If you must use a technical word, define it by explaining any terms that might be new to the reader: -Technical example: This medication reduces intra-operative bleeding. -Non-technical: This medicine will reduce bleeding during the surgery. • Use strong, vivid verbs. Often, verbs are changed into nouns and adjectives. This makes sentences longer, weaker, and harder to read. - Verb Example: Mary Garcia was responsible for writing this patient brochure. - Verb Example: Mary Garcia wrote this patient brochure. • Avoid too much information for patients to absorb by keeping the message simple. • Images should be simple without an excess in detail to avoid clutter and confusion. Not required, but a helpful reference for creating effective patient education handouts (quoted above): http://tomlangcommunications.com/Expanded_Patient_Ed_Chapter.pdf