Improving Knowledge about Palliative Care among Caregivers in Appalachia: A Brief Educational Intervention

Lauren Parsons*, Cherish Heard*, Cecelia Nelson, Jarred Gallegos, Jennifer Ludrosky, Patrick Tomboc, Joshua Dower, and Christina L. Duncan

Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505

Presentation Category: Biological & Biochemical Sciences (Poster Presentation #94)

Student’s Major: Biology

Pediatric Palliative Care (PPC) teams provide comprehensive care to children with chronic illness, as well as their families. Despite increasing availability of PPC teams in U.S. hospitals, only a small percentage of pediatric patients receive these services. Misconceptions among caregivers about PPC may account for lack of utilization, especially in areas where health literacy is low. The Appalachian region and West Virginia in particular, are plagued by some of the worst health literacy and subsequent health outcomes in the United States. This study examined the influence of an educational handout on caregiver knowledge and preferences for PPC in Appalachia. A convenience sample of 37 pediatric oncology caregivers were recruited from J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, WV to participate in the pre/post quasi-experimental design study. Caregivers completed questions about their child’s health, and attitudes toward and knowledge of PPC services, before and after reading a brief handout regarding PPC services. Paired sample t-tests were used to examine pre- to post-intervention change. After reading the handout, caregivers were significantly more knowledgeable (p<.001, d=-1.60) and had more favorable attitudes toward PPC (p<.001, d=-0.52). A brief educational intervention can improve caregiver knowledge and perceptions of PPC, therefore potentially enhancing family receptiveness to such services. Brief handouts are low-cost and time-efficient tools that can provide important medical information. In rural areas where health literacy may be lower and dissemination of information may be challenging, routine, targeted interventions can help overcome knowledge barriers and misconceptions about PPC.

Funding:

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: a WVU 497-level course