Barriers to health literacy of patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices: A qualitative approach

ERÜNAL M., MERT H.

Health Information and Libraries Journal, 2025 (SSCI) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1111/hir.12581
  • Dergi Adı: Health Information and Libraries Journal
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, CAB Abstracts, CINAHL, EMBASE, Information Science and Technology Abstracts, INSPEC, Library and Information Science Abstracts, Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA), MEDLINE, Public Affairs Index
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: health literacy, informatics, medical, nursing, patient education, patient information, qualitative research
  • Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Background: Living with cardiac implantable electronic devices requires patients to apply information skills. Objective: To explore barriers to the health literacy of patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices. Methods: This descriptive, qualitative study was conducted with 18 patients. Data were gathered via semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. Content analysis was applied to the data. The results were reported using the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ). Results: Two themes emerged: ‘Floundering patients’; ‘Lackadaisical patients’. First theme involved four subthemes: ‘An enormous unmet need for information’; ‘The information source: The doctor’; ‘Communication issues’; ‘Preferences’. Second theme included two subthemes: ‘Dependence on doctor’ and ‘Dependence on others’. Discussion: Theme one revealed that patients found it difficult to evaluate the health information and assumed the doctor was the prime source of information, rather than other health professionals who might help provide the necessary education and counselling. Theme two was ‘lackadaisical patients’, who failed to access information, communicate with the healthcare provider, evaluate information, or take a role in the decision-making process due to their complete trust in doctors and informal caregivers. Conclusion: These results suggested that nurses should play a role in the improvement of patients' health literacy, with the help of health information professionals.