Reflections on a multidisciplinary approach to evaluation of patient- literature materials

Patient education has, in the last decade or so, received increased attention. It generally acknowledged that people with specific medical conditions, and those with chronic diseases, benefit by being more knowledgeable their bodies, their treatments and their possible lifestyles. The challenge providing an educational service for patients is a complex matter and no one of specialists can expect to have the necessary experience and expertise meet it fully. If patients are to be well educated they need to have accurate relevant medical information presented to them in ways which are and understandable. The providers need to take account of how acquire knowledge and understanding and they need to know something the ways in which patients process information and apply it to the skills, beliefs and attitudes which will equip them for their-to-day lives. was in response to an acknowledgement of these principles that an of patient-literature materials on arthritis was conducted by together expertise from the disciplines of health psychology, communication, education and medicine. This account of the multidisciplinary includes the background rationale, a summary of research methods and, the implications for future good practice in patient education and a of the approach adopted.