Information-giving practice: an audit of patients attending a GUM clinic.

AIM: Patients are known to have difficulty assimilating information about diagnosis and treatment given verbally during consultations with healthcare professionals. Written information in the form of leaflets is often used to reinforce the message. The aim of this study was to audit the written and verbal information given to patients.

METHOD: Questionnaires were given to patients attending the clinic for repeat treatments for genital warts.

RESULTS

Female patients generally seemed more satisfied with the information they received than male patients. Overall, patients were more satisfied with verbal information than written information.

CONCLUSION

Recommendations for changes to information-giving practice are described and plans for future audits to help improve the quality and content of information are outlined.