Patient demographics and learning needs: examination of relationship.
BACKGROUND
Limited research has examined differences in patients' learning needs in relation to demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, level of education, and culture. Yet such knowledge is essential to develop postoperative educational interventions that are tailored to patients' needs.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between learning needs and the demographic characteristics of patients who have undergone coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.


METHODS
A descriptive design was used.The sample of convenience included 38 patients who met eligibility criteria.


RESULTS
Statistically significant relationships were found between the patients' age, gender, and cultural background, and learning needs (p<.05) and not between the learning needs and level of education.


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary highlight the importance of attending to learning needs of patients with different backgrounds in order to improve self-management following CABG surgery.
Fredericks
Suzanne
S
Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. sfrederi@ryerson.ca
Guruge
Sepali
S
Sidani
Souraya
S
Wan
Teresa
T
D000368:Aged; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000451:nursing*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000451:nursing* / Q000601:surgery; D003469:Culture; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D013527:Perioperative Nursing / Q000379:methods*