SAN FRANCISCO — Educational videos on handheld computers were a hit with patients learning how to start or switch HIV medications, a preliminary study of 50 patients found.
Handheld computers, also called personal digital assistants (PDAs), could be useful tools in educating patients with low literacy levels, Scott R. Smith, Ph.D., said in a poster presentation at the triennial congress of the International Medical Informatics Association.
Previous data have shown that one in four patients living with HIV or AIDS has a hard time understanding simple medical instructions or medical terms and concepts. A previous assessment of literacy levels in patients at the University of North Carolina Hospitals Infectious Diseases Clinic found reading abilities at the eighth-grade level or lower in 30 of 75 patients, noted Dr. Smith of the university.
In the current study, pharmacists created interactive educational audio and video clips geared toward patients of different ethnicities that explained how to take antiretroviral medications, manage side effects, and adhere to treatment. Patients answered questionnaires before and after using the PDAs.
At the start of the study, 19 patients reported some or a lot of trouble adhering to medication regimens, 14 reported a little trouble, 2 said they had no trouble, and 15 were just starting a new regimen.
After watching the PDA movies, 48 of 49 patients who answered follow-up surveys said they felt very or extremely sure that they would be able to adhere to therapy. Forty-five patients said they believed that the medicine would have a positive effect on their health, and 47 patients agreed that not taking their medications would make the HIV become resistant to the drugs.
Twelve patients in the study were white, and 38 were African American. Nineteen had never used a computer before. The average age of the subjects was 42 years, with a range of 25-70 years. On average, they were supposed to take three antiretroviral drugs, twice per day.
Most patients said the PDA movie was helpful, valuable, easy to follow, and exciting, rather than boring. Nearly all rated the movie as excellent, and said it made the information easier to remember, that they found it easier to learn from movies than from books, and that they liked using a handheld computer to watch the movie.
In general, printed health education materials are written for people with at least a 10th-grade reading ability, Dr. Smith said. Literacy increasingly is being recognized as a contributor to disparities in health outcomes.
“As devices become smaller, more portable, easier to use, and less costly, they hold potential for innovative uses in patient education,” he added.
Dr. Smith reported no relationship with the company that makes the PDAs.