Cancer-Related Patient Education: An Overview of the Last Decade of Evaluation and Research example

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Cancer-Related Patient Education: An overview of the Last Decade of Evaluation and Research

Target Audience

The target audience of the article comprises of cancer patients who long for information in order to make beneficial treatment decisions.

Age Ranges and Literacy Level

The age range for the patients being educated have not been stated directly. The article has no mention of any pediatric population being involved. It could, thus, be inferred that adult people constitutes the target group.

Language Fluency

Literacy and readability characteristics of the patient population have been debated in the scientific paper, whereas there is no mention of their language fluency.

Presentation of Material

Biases and Accuracy

The review conducted by Chelf et al. of the 172 researches demonstrates accuracy of the data interpreted. Biases have not been found in the results derived, except for the recommendations of additional investigations outlined by them. The peer-reviewed articles chosen for the paper have been published between 1989 and 1999. The proposals seem to be biased as technological or financial constraints might not have made it feasible to cover all the aspects at that given time as being suggested now.

Examples of Biases

The authors contend that the research related to computer-assisted learning has not been able to take up the issue of cost-effectiveness. This might not have been the possible in the given period of research as internet and computer usage was not as widespread as in current century. The discussion on literacy and readability shows similar tendencies for biases. The authors write that none of the studies made a comparison on the desire for information in high- and low- level readers. The target audience of the studies could have been different or their objectives did not aim to evaluate the particular agenda.

Statement of Objectives

The purpose/objective chosen by the authors of the scientific paper states as follows:

“To provide an overview of cancer-related research to determine future research needs.” –Chelf et al. (2001).

Consistency and Appropriateness with the Content

The study seems to show consistency and appropriateness to the topic of patient education for cancer patients.

Level of Readability and Health Literacy

The readability level across various studies showed that the patients’ abilities lacked behind in comparison to the materials provided to them with the intent of patient education. Foltz & Sullivan, 1996; Jackson, Davis, Murphy, Bairnsfather, & George, 1994; Wison, 1995, assert that the reading capabilities of the clients were four grades lower than the last grade they had actually attended at school (as cited in Chelf et al. 2001). Gazmararian et al., 1999; Jackson et al., 1994; Williams et al., 1995 write that the older clients had been found to be poor at reading (Chelf et al.). The authors mention in the discussion that there is absence of any research been conducted among populations having high literacy level. It points out to the fact that the target audience comprised of low to medium literacy levels. The patients have been reported to have a …

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