Sending information on minor illness does not cut consultations

Information booklets about minor illnesses sent to patients by post help improve their confidence in managing illness and most find them useful. However, even though information booklets and leaflets reduce the number of patients attending primary care frequently with minor illnesses, the effect on overall contact is not significant. These findings come from a randomised controlled trial of 4002 patients, conducted by Little et al (p 1214) in six general practices in southern England. The authors conclude that sending information leaflets and booklets by post may have a limited role in the NHS. This result is echoed in Scotland in a study by Heaney et al (p 1218). They conducted a randomised controlled trial of 9000 patients from 20 general practices in Lothian. Patients were allocated to receive one of two patient information booklets or to a control group. Receipt of either booklet had no significant effect on health service use compared with the control group.

(Credit: PANOS PICTURES)

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    StumbleUpon    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Articles

Randomised controlled trial of self management leaflets and booklets for minor illness provided by post

Paul Little, Jane Somerville, Ian Williamson, Greg Warner, Michael Moore, Rose Wiles, Steve George, Ann Smith, and Robert Peveler
BMJ 2001 322: 1214. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Assessment of impact of information booklets on use of healthcare services: randomised controlled trial • Commentary: What's wrong with opting out? • Commentary: Public opinion may force researchers to seek "opt in" consent for all studies

David Heaney, Sally Wyke, Philip Wilson, Rob Elton, Philip Rutledge, Ann Sommerville, and Tom Wilkie
BMJ 2001 322: 1218. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]