Using a patient-centered approach to develop a fertility preservation brochure for pediatric oncology patients: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
Most pediatric education materials are designed for a parent audience. Social marketing techniques rely on the principles called the "4 P's": product, price, place, and promotion. The objective of this study was to test the design, readability, likelihood to read, and overall opinion of a pediatric fertility preservation brochure with patients, parents, and providers.


METHODS
Qualitative face-to-face interviews.


METHODS
The Children's Cancer Center in Tampa, FL, and All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL.


METHODS
Male and female cancer patients and survivors aged 12-21 (N = 7), their parents (N = 11), and healthcare providers (N = 6).


METHODS
Patients, survivors, parents, and healthcare providers were given two versions of gender concordant brochures on fertility preservation designed for both pediatric oncology patients and their parents.


METHODS
Design, readability, likelihood to read, and overall opinion from interviews in order to identify facilitators of involving patients in fertility preservation discussions.


RESULTS
Parents and teens differed on the design, readability, and likelihood to read, the highest discord being preferences for medical terminology used in the brochures. While parents remarked that much of the language was 'too advanced,' the majority of teens explained that they understood the terminology and preferred it remained on the brochure. Overall feedback from all three groups was utilized to revise the brochures into final versions to increase the likelihood of reading.


CONCLUSIONS
Information about the development of the 4 P's of social marketing highlights needs from the intended audience. Barriers to patient education in pediatrics can be ameliorated when using the social marketing approach.
Jonathan Jaques Children's Cancer Center, Miller Children's Hospital, Long Beach, California. Electronic address: dmurphy@memorialcare.org.
Devin
D
Murphy
All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg.
Kelly K
KK
Sawczyn
College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa; Health Outcomes and Behavior, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA.
Gwendolyn P
GP
Quinn
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D032882:Comprehension; D003196:Computer Graphics; D005260:Female; D059247:Fertility Preservation; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D010174:Pamphlets; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010865:Pilot Projects; D036301:Qualitative Research; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D055815:Young Adult