Continuing Professional Development – Radiation Therapy
Maximise your CPD by reading the following selected article and answer the five questions. Please remember to self-claim your CPD and retain your supporting evidence. Answers will be available via the QR code and online at www.asmirt.org/news-and-publications/jmrs, as well as published in JMRS – Volume 70, Issue 4 December 2023.
Radiation Therapy – Original Article
What is the effect of a low literacy talking book on patient knowledge, anxiety and communication before radiation therapy starts? A pilot study
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Participants utilised the talking book according to their preferred learning style. A kinaesthetic learner prefers which of the following?
- To look at the illustrations
- To listen to a recording
- To read the printed text
- To be ‘hands-on’ and physically engaged
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Which of the following was identified as a limitation of this study?
- The sample size was too small to produce reliable results, more participants are required to increase the statistical power.
- Many of the study participants did not speak English and could not understand the talking book.
- This study involved mostly metropolitan-based English-speaking women with breast cancer, hence results from this study cannot be generalised across all populations.
- The participants in this study had such a low health literacy rate that the talking book was difficult to understand.
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In this study, the talking book provided which of the following?
- The patients with simplified information with a low-cost, practical tool.
- The patients with all the information they needed to know, so that they did not need to ask any questions.
- The radiation therapists more time to do other duties as they did not need to talk to the patient as much.
- Improved the education for the nursing staff in the radiation therapy department.
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Which of the following depicts health literacy?
- The ability to read medical journals.
- The ability to search for information on the internet pertaining to health-related issues.
- The knowledge, motivation and competence to access and understand and apply health information.
- The understanding of statistical analysis and research methods.
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Following on from this study, what are the implementation plans for the talking book?
- To conduct a larger trial comparing the talking book with standard information.
- To create an online health literacy training course for radiation oncology healthcare professionals on how to use the talking book in practice.
- To adapt the talking book for use in Indigenous Aboriginal Australian populations.
- To make a video for patients to accompany the talking book.
- Halkett G, O'Connor M, Aranda S, Jefford M, Merchant S, York D, Miller L, Schofield P. Communication skills training for radiation therapists: preparing patients for radiation therapy. J Med Radiat Sci 2016; 63: 232–41.
- Smith SK, Zhu Y, Dhillon HM, Milross CG, Taylor J, Halkett G, Zilliacus E. Supporting patients with low health literacy: what role do radiation therapists play? Support Care Cancer 2013; 21: 3051–61.
- Halkett GKB, Merchant S, Smith SK, O'Connor M, Jefford M, Aranda S, Schofield P. Supporting and preparing patients for radiotherapy: patients' and radiation therapists' perspectives on their one-to-one consultations. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 2020; 29: e13284.
Answers
Scan this QR code to find the answers, or visit www.asmirt.org/news-and-publications/jmrs
