A cost-effectiveness analysis of a multimedia learning education program for stoma patients.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to compare the costs and effectiveness of enterostomal education using a multimedia learning education program (MLEP) and a conventional education service program (CESP).


BACKGROUND
Multimedia health education programs not only provide patients with useful information in the absence of health professionals, but can also augment information provided in traditional clinical practice. However, the literature on the cost-effectiveness of different approaches to stoma education is limited.


METHODS
This study used a randomised experimental design.


METHODS
A total of 54 stoma patients were randomly assigned to MLEP or CESP nursing care with a follow-up of one week. Effectiveness measures were knowledge of self-care (KSC), attitude of self-care (ASC) and behavior of self-care (BSC). The costs measures for each patient were: health care costs, MLEP cost and family costs.


RESULTS
Subjects in the MLEP group demonstrated significantly better outcomes in the effectiveness measures of KSC, ASC and BSC. Additionally, the total social costs for each MLEP patient and CESP patient were US$7396·90 and US$8570·54, respectively. The cost-effectiveness ratios in these two groups showed that the MLEP model was better than the CESP model after one intervention cycle. In addition, the Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio was -20·99.


CONCLUSIONS
This research provides useful information for those who would like to improve the self-care capacity of stoma patients. Due to the better cost-effectiveness ratio of MLEP, hospital policy-makers may consider these results when choosing to allocate resources and develop care and educational interventions.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides a cost effective way of addressing stoma care in the post-operative period that could be usefully transferred to stoma care settings internationally.
Lo
Shu-Fen
SF
Department of Nursing, Tzu Chi College of Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Wang
Yun-Tung
YT
Wu
Li-Yue
LY
Hsu
Mei-Yu
MY
Chang
Shu-Chuan
SC
Hayter
Mark
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019212:Multimedia; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D054047:Surgical Stomas; D013624:Taiwan