Dataset Information

Evaluation of patient education materials for stereotactic radiosurgery from high-performing neurosurgery hospitals and professional societies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Little is known about the readability and utility of patient education materials for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Therefore, the goal of this investigation was to evaluate such materials from high-performing neurosurgery hospitals and professional societies through an analysis of readability and educational content.

Methods

In this cross-cross sectional study, 61 websites associated with the top 50 neurosurgery and neurology hospitals according to U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) and 11 predetermined professional medical societies were queried. Identified SRS education materials were analyzed by 6 readability indices. Educational content was assessed by 10 criteria based on surveys of patients' perspectives about SRS.

Results

Fifty-four materials were identified from the target population (45 from USNWR hospital websites and 9 from professional society websites). Mean readability of materials ranged from 11.7 to 15.3 grade level, far more difficult than national recommendations of sixth and eighth grade. Materials were found to have deficiencies in educational content. Compared with high-performing hospitals, materials from websites of professional societies were longer (P = .002), and more likely to discuss risks and benefits specific to SRS (P = .008), alternative treatment options (P = .05) and expected outcomes or postprocedure descriptions (P = .004). Hospital materials were also more likely to favor brand-specific terminology (eg, GammaKnife) over generic terminology (eg, radiosurgery; P = .019).

Conclusion

Publicly available online patient educational materials for SRS are written at reading levels above national recommendations. Furthermore, many lack information identified as important by patients. Reevaluation and improvement of online SRS educational materials on a national scale are warranted.

SUBMITTER: Rooney MK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7104883 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Evaluation of patient education materials for stereotactic radiosurgery from high-performing neurosurgery hospitals and professional societies.

Rooney Michael K MK Golden Daniel W DW Byun John J Lukas Rimas V RV Sonabend Adam M AM Lesniak Maciej S MS Sachdev Sean S

Neuro-oncology practice 20190703 1

<h4>Background</h4>Little is known about the readability and utility of patient education materials for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Therefore, the goal of this investigation was to evaluate such materials from high-performing neurosurgery hospitals and professional societies through an analysis of readability and educational content.<h4>Methods</h4>In this cross-cross sectional study, 61 websites associated with the top 50 neurosurgery and neurology hospitals according to U.S. News & World ...[more]

PMID: 32257285

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Project description:Introduction:Due to the neurocognitive side effects of whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is being used with increasing frequency. The use of SRS is expanding for patients with multiple (>4) brain metastases (BM). This study summarizes our institutional experience with single-fraction, linear-accelerator-based SRS for multiple BM. Methods and materials:All patients who were treated between January 1, 2013, and September 30, 2015, with single-fraction SRS for ?4 BM were included in this institutional review board-approved, retrospective, single-institution study. Patients were treated with linear accelerator-based image guided SRS. Results:A total of 59 patients with ?4 BM were treated with single-fraction SRS. The median follow-up was 15.2 months, and the median overall survival for the entire cohort was 5.8 months. The median number of treated lesions per patient was 5 (range, 4-23). Per patient, the median planning target volume (PTV) was 4.8?cc (range, 0.7-28.8?cc). The prescribed dose across all 380 BM for the 59 patients ranged from 7 to 20?Gy. The median of the mean dose to the total PTV was 19.5?Gy. Although the number of treated lesions (4-5 vs ?6) did not influence survival, better survival was noted for a total PTV <10?cc versus ?10?cc (7.1 vs 4.2 months, respectively; P?=?.0001). A mean dose of ?19?Gy to the entire PTV was also associated with increased survival (6.6 vs 5.0 months, respectively; P?=?.0172). Patients receiving a dose of >12?Gy to ?10?cc of normal brain had worse survival (5.1 vs 8.6 months, respectively; P?=?.0028). Conclusion:In single-fraction SRS for patients with multiple BM, smaller total tumor volume, higher total dose, and lower volume of normal brain receiving >12?Gy were associated with increased survival. These data suggest that using SRS for the treatment of multiple BM is efficacious and that outcomes may be affected more by total tumor volume than by the number of lesions.

Dataset Information

Evaluation of patient education materials for stereotactic radiosurgery from high-performing neurosurgery hospitals and professional societies.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Evaluation of patient education materials for stereotactic radiosurgery from high-performing neurosurgery hospitals and professional societies.

Similar Datasets

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