title: Teaching Cancer Patients the Value of Correct Positioning During Radiotherapy Using Visual Aids and Practical Exercises.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate if teaching patients about positioning before radiotherapy treatment would (a) reduce the residual rotational set-up errors, (b) reduce the number of repositionings and (c) improve patients' sense of control by increasing self-efficacy and reducing distress. Patients were randomized to either standard care (control group) or standard care and a teaching session combining visual aids and practical exercises (intervention group). Daily images from the treatment sessions were evaluated off-line. Both groups filled in a questionnaire before and at the end of the treatment course on various aspects of cooperation with the staff regarding positioning. Comparisons of residual rotational set-up errors showed an improvement in the intervention group compared to the control group. No significant differences were found in number of repositionings, self-efficacy or distress. Results show that it is possible to teach patients about positioning and thereby improve precision in positioning. Teaching patients about positioning did not seem to affect self-efficacy or distress scores at baseline and at the end of the treatment course.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Aarhus University Hospital, Nørrebrogade 44, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark. Helle.hansen@aarhus.rm.dk.
authors.forename: Helle
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8155-1151
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Nørrebrogade 44, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.|Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Nørrebrogade 44, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Berit Kjærside
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Aarhus University Hospital, Nørrebrogade 44, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boejen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, Aarhus University Hospital, Nørrebrogade 44, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vestergaard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001296:Audiovisual Aids / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D056888:Patient Positioning / Q000592:standards*; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000592:standards*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Positioning; Radiotherapy; Rotational set-up errors; Self-efficacy; Teaching sessions; Virtual reality; Visual aids