Use of Videos as Supplemental Education Tools Across the Cancer Trajectory.

BACKGROUND: Patients who are dealing with life changes as a result of a cancer diagnosis often search for information about the disease and its treatment. Knowledge gained from this information helps patients with cancer during survivorship and improves their active participation with the healthcare team. To provide patients with the information they need, healthcare providers must offer various methods for the delivery of educational materials. The use of video as a delivery mechanism should be considered as one option for patient content acquisition.
OBJECTIVES: This article describes the use of videos as supplemental education tools before, during, or after one-on-one patient teaching interactions.
METHODS: A literature review was performed that focused on locating, reviewing, and synthesizing published data from clinical studies related to the use of video in patient education.
FINDINGS: Videos deliver material in a way that is flexible and often familiar to patients. For example, delivery can occur via smartphone, electronic health record, computer, DVD, or television, and it does not require reading or a high level of literacy. Healthcare providers in oncology settings should consider establishing a process for instructional video development as part of a multimedia patient education library.