%0 Journal Article
%T Improvement of Young and Elderly Patient¡¯s Knowledge of Heart Failure After an Educational Session
%A J¨¦r£¿me Roncalli
%A Laurence Perez
%A Atul Pathak
%A Laure Spinazze
%J Clinical Medicine : Cardiology
%D 2009
%I 
%X Background: Interest in the role of patient education sessions for optimizing the management of heart failure (HF) is increasing. We determined whether improvements in young and elderly patients¡¯ knowledge of HF and self-care behavior could be analyzed by administering a knowledge test before and after an educational session.Methods: Stable heart failure patients (n = 115) were enrolled in a prospective cohort study from our Heart Failure educational centre in a university hospital. Patient knowledge of six major HF-related topics was assessed via a questionnaire distributed once before an educational session and twice afterward. Each answer was assigned a numerical value and the final score for each topic could range from 0 to 20. Scores 15/20 were considered representative of a good level of knowledge.Results: The level of knowledge was low (9.7/20) before the educational session but was significantly higher (16.3/20) during the 1st quarter after the session, and this benefit was maintained for up to 12 months (16.6/20). Knowledge levels increased in both younger and elderly patients, and the number of patients who had a good level of knowledge also increased after the educational session.Conclusion: This study confirms that an HF knowledge test is feasible and that educational sessions improve the knowledge and self-management of both younger and elderly patients.
%K heart failure
%K educational session
%K knowledge in heart failure
%K elderly patients
%U http://www.la-press.com/improvement-of-young-and-elderly-patientrsquos-knowledge-of-heart-fail-a1427