Development of a multimedia informed consent tool for fixed prosthodontic treatment: a cognitive theory-based approach to enhance patient understanding

Abstract

Background: To develop and test a multimedia informed consent tool for fixed prosthodontic treatment among patients attending Makerere University Dental Hospital. The tool was designed to support verbal dentist-patient discussions, provide standardized treatment information, and enhance patient understanding in a low health literacy context. Methods: The multimedia tool was developed using content-validated informed consent specifications for fixed prosthodontic treatment. Design and development of the tool were guided by principles of the cognitive theory of multimedia learning. The tool was tested among 20 patients to solicit feedback on acceptability and assess their understanding of fixed prosthodontic treatment after viewing it. It was also tested by 12 dentists to determine its acceptability and usability. Results: The patients had a median age (range), 28.5 (18–52) years, and 65.5 % were male. Dentists had a mean (SD) age of 34.3 (9.67) years, and about one-third (33.3 %) had more than 5 years of work experience. Overall, both groups of participants found the tool to be user-friendly and provided comprehensive information. The majority (85.0 %) of patients had an adequate understanding of fixed prosthodontic treatment after viewing the tool. Suggestions for improvement included making the tool more accessible by placing it online and translating it into local languages. Conclusion: The multimedia informed consent tool developed using the cognitive theory of learning was user-friendly, offered comprehensive treatment information, and aided patients' understanding of treatment information. Innovation: Using a cognitive theory of learning-grounded development process, the study developed a multimedia informed consent tool to support verbal dentist-patient discussions in a low health literacy context.