The impact of an educational video about radiotherapy and its toxicities in head and neck cancer patients. Evaluation of patients' understanding, anxiety, depression, and quality of life.
OBJECTIVES
Head and neck radiotherapy can cause several toxicities, and its management has important treatment implications. Proper information about treatment is crucial to assist patients by preparing them and enhancing their ability to manage their illness. Thus, this study aimed to verify the impact of an educational video on the improvement of the patient's understanding, satisfaction, quality of life, and influence on their emotional state in different moments of treatment.


METHODS
A 10 min video about head and neck radiotherapy and its toxicities was produced. A prospective randomized clinical trial was performed in two groups: a control group (n = 65), which received standard verbal and written information, and an experimental group (n = 65), which received standard information and the video. Appropriated questionnaires (HADS, UW-QOLv4, IRTU, and Post-RTU) were applied in four different moments in order to evaluate patients' understanding, anxiety, depression, and quality of life.


RESULTS
The video improved the understanding of treatment and its side effects. Also, the video group reported better awareness about oral health care during the treatment. Osteoradionecrosis and radiation-related caries were the most unknown side effects. On the other hand, the educational video did not modify the patients' anxiety, depression, and quality of life. All patients reported high satisfaction with the video.


CONCLUSIONS
Audiovisual tools may improve patients' understanding of radiotherapy and were shown to be a useful tool when used in association with verbal and written information in cancer centers. In addition, information about osteoradionecrosis and radiation-related caries must be reinforced to patients.
['Fernandes|Diego Tetzner|DT|', 'Prado-Ribeiro|Ana Carolina|AC|', 'Markman|Renata Lucena|RL|', 'Morais|Karina|K|', 'Moutinho|Karina|K|', 'Tonaki|Juliana Ono|JO|', 'Brandão|Thaís Bianca|TB|', 'Rivera|Cesar|C|', 'Santos-Silva|Alan Roger|AR|', 'Lopes|Márcio Ajudarte|MA|']
D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D001007:Anxiety D003863:Depression D005260:Female D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D011788:Quality of Life D011832:Radiation Injuries D014741:Video Recording
Radiotherapy Head and neck cancer Understanding Anxiety Depression Quality of life Instructional films and video Oral cancer