Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify the needs for patient education among adult patients of the Tartu University Hospital and the degree of meeting these needs, as well as to establish correlations between the patients’ background variables, the needs for patient education and the meeting of these needs.

Material and method. The data were collected using a questionnaire. The convenient sample consisted of adult in-patients of the Tartu University Hospital (nº=º445). Of the delivered questionnaires 87% were returned. Statistical data processing was performed with the data processing package SPSS and the MS Excel program.

The results of the study showed that the needs for patient education among adult patients of the Tartu University Hospital were high regarding all information categories, and that these needs were not always met. The results also demonstrated that the needs were the highest for patient education in health problem, social coping and self-care, and slightly lower in drugs and procedures. Patient needs for patient education were met in the areas of social coping and health problem. The needs were not met in the areas related to self-care and drugs. Also, provision with patient education in cooperation with family members was inadequate. The correlations of the patients’ background variables and the needs for patient education with the meeting of these needs were not statistically significant (r <0,3).