title: Improving cancer patients' knowledge about totally implantable access port: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Providing patients with written information about totally implantable access ports (TIAPs) is recommended during the pre-implantation period to reduce anxiety and to help recalling information. No study tested the effectiveness of information about TIAP neither with oral communication nor with booklets. This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of an information booklet, alone or together with answers to clarification questions, both in improving patients' short- and long-time knowledge about TIAP and in decreasing patients' physiological indicators of anxiety immediately after TIAP implantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a randomized controlled trial with three parallel groups: group A (n = 34) receiving only the booklet, group B (n = 34) receiving the booklet with answers to clarification questions, and group C (n = 37) receiving routine care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 3 months, pair comparisons revealed a significant improvement in knowledge of TIAP in each group (p < 0.001), together with a significant difference in group C compared with groups A (p < 0.001) and B (p < 0.001), similar to each other. Physiological indicators of anxiety decreased in the intervention groups compared to control group immediately after TIAP implantation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The interventions provided resulted effective in decreasing patients' physiological indicators of anxiety immediately after TIAP implantation and improving patients' knowledge about TIAP immediately and at 3 months. Adding answers to clarification questions to the booklet was not more effective than the booklet alone. A well-designed booklet with attention both to scientific content and to communication techniques is useful in improving patients' knowledge about TIAP and reducing anxiety.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit Nursing Science, Campus Bio-Medico di Roma University, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21-00128, Rome, Italy. m.piredda@unicampus.it.
authors.forename: Michela
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5998-476X
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piredda
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, Via Montpellier, 1-00133, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Biagioli
authors.affiliation: Biostatistical Unit, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi, 53-00144, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giannarelli
authors.affiliation: Research Unit Nursing Science, Campus Bio-Medico di Roma University, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21-00128, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Incletoli
authors.affiliation: Research Unit Nursing Science, Campus Bio-Medico di Roma University, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21-00128, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grieco
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia Intensive Care and Pain Management, Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21-00128, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carassiti
authors.affiliation: Research Unit Nursing Science, Campus Bio-Medico di Roma University, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21-00128, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: De Marinis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Central venous catheters; Neoplasms; Patient education handout; Patient information; Preoperative care