Purpose: To evaluate the level of understanding and the impact of the information booklet "For a better understanding of radiotherapy" for radiotherapy patients.
Patients and methods: A survey by questionnaire was realized during the second semester 1999 with ten centers of radiotherapy in the Aquitaine area. One hundred booklets with a questionnaire and a postage-paid envelope were sent to the oncologists of these ten radiotherapy centers. A quantitative analysis of the questionnaires received and a qualitative analysis by anthropological methods (a prior reading of the document with 13 patients and a content analysis of the questionnaires, in particular of the free texts in it) were performed.
Results: The response rate was 10.8% for the quantitative analysis. The different actors in radiotherapy were partly identified: the oncologist and the technicians were clearly identified by 84.3% of the patients. However, their role seemed to be less discerned. The information given in the booklet was considered clear for 57.4% of the patients; 74.2% did not require explanations of the vocabulary, whereas 14.8% wanted explanations and 13.0% did not state an opinion. In the qualitative analysis, the booklet was found to be well received and understood even if technical explanations were sometimes needed. However, words in italics or small print and pictures without captions impeded the proper reading of the booklet. Finally, the personal real-life context of the patients was more present in comments during the reading with the anthropologist and in the free texts (which represented 26.9% of the received questionnaires).
Conclusion: This booklet was judged to be useful by the patients and thought to "answer the questions which the patient may ask". It seems important to define the right moment for its distribution (the first visit, the first sequence of treatment, for example, would be more appropriate). Lastly, certain passages, especially in the introduction, could be modified so as to improve the legibility (in particular for the elderly). In addition, the informative content, largely well understood, could be extended with a glossary, using simple technical and always clear explanations.