title: Patients' level of knowledge measured five days after kidney transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Kidney recipients' knowledge is important in terms of coping with short-term problems posed by transplantation and the long-term outcome. Little attention has been given to the development of instruments for measuring patient's knowledge in this field.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to describe the development of a knowledge questionnaire for kidney recipients and to explore possible factors related to the knowledge level.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of 159 kidney recipients at a Norwegian transplant center, answering the questionnaire five d post-transplantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The questionnaire was generated on the basis of literature review and clinical experience - and was pilot tested. Mean score of the questionnaire was 11, of 19 obtainable points. Longer duration of kidney disease was significantly correlated with an increased knowledge level, whereas the longer the time on dialysis prior to transplantation and post-operative complications were found to have significantly negative impact on total knowledge score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The positive impact of disease duration may suggest that insight gained over time makes patients better prepared for the transplantation itself and for life post-transplant. However, the negative impact of dialysis duration could be attributed to impaired cognitive function imposed by chronic dialysis treatment. Further research is needed regarding the questionnaire's responsiveness to educational interventions.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, Oslo University College, Oslo, Norway. kristin.urstad@su.hio.no
authors.forename: Kristin H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Urstad
authors.forename: Marit H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Ole
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Øyen
authors.forename: Torbjørn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moum
authors.forename: Astrid K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Wahl
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult