title: Video informed consent improves knee arthroscopy patient comprehension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that video informed consent improves knee arthroscopy patient comprehension and satisfaction compared with traditional verbal informed consent.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients having informed consent in preparation for knee arthroscopy by a single surgeon were stratified by educational level < or =12th grade or greater than 12th grade, then randomized to video or traditional verbal informed consent groups. Immediately after the informed consent process, patients completed an outcome questionnaire evaluating comprehension and satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in the video group showed significantly higher comprehension (78.5%) than patients in the verbal group (65.4%) (P = .00001). In the subgroup with < or = 12th grade education level, the video patients scored 73.1% comprehension and the verbal patients only 54.2% (P = .0011). In the subgroup with greater than 12th grade education level, the video patients scored 82.3% and the verbal patients scored 72.2% (P = .0002). There was no significant difference in subjective self-assessment of satisfaction between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Video informed consent improves knee arthroscopy patient comprehension compared with traditional verbal informed consent.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level I.
authors.affiliation: Wenatchee Valley Clinic, Wenatchee, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guttmann
authors.forename: Megan J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: MacLennan
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lubowitz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D032882:Comprehension; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014741:Video Recording