Information-giving to patients with genital warts at a genitourinary medicine clinic: a baseline assessment.

Aspects of information-giving to patients with a first episode of genital warts attending a large UK genitourinary medicine clinic on three or more occasions were assessed using a questionnaire survey employing correlational and between-groups analyses. The main outcomes measured were levels of, and interrelationships between, patients' perceptions of information received about genital warts, accuracy of knowledge, quality of interaction with clinic personnel, written information, patients' level of anxiety and demographic variables. Patients with genital warts have good basic knowledge about this condition, although understanding about several complex issues is poor. Educational level was positively correlated with accuracy of knowledge about genital warts. Although ease of communicative interaction with information-givers was positively correlated with perceived information given, no relationship was found between the latter and actual knowledge about genital warts. Anxiety levels and receiving written information were largely uncorrelated with accuracy of knowledge about genital warts. This study suggests that while patients' perception of information received may relate to more satisfactory interaction with information-givers, actual knowledge may be a more important measurable outcome. More interventional work is needed to determine how the information-giving process for genital warts can be optimized.