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How medical information can overburden the patient

In the world of health care, patient leaflets play a crucial role in informing patients about their conditions, treatments and self-care. But have we ever considered that these leaflets, meant to help, can also unintentionally contribute to cognitive overload?

Let's dig deeper into this topic and discover how to improve patient education.

The cognitive load theory

Cognitive load theory explains how we process information. In essence, it deals with the mental effort required to understand and apply information. With patient leaflets, this load can be high, especially due to:

  • Complex medical terms
  • Unclear presentation
  • An abundance of details

These factors often make it difficult for patients to really grasp the information and put it into practice.

The three pillars of cognitive load

1. Intrinsic cognitive load: The complexity of content
Imagine: you get your hands on a leaflet about diabetes full of terms like "insulin resistance" and "blood glucose levels. For someone without a medical background, this can be overwhelming. This is what we call "intrinsic cognitive load" - the inherent difficulty of the information itself.

2. Extrinsic cognitive load: Presentation counts.

Have you ever opened a brochure and felt lost in a sea of text? That's extrinsic cognitive load in action. It's not what it says, but how it is presented. Long pieces of text without visual support or a clear structure make it difficult to filter out the core message.

3. Targeted cognitive load: from theory to practice
You've read the information, but how do you apply it in your daily life? This is where targeted cognitive load comes in. Patient brochures often fall short of providing practical, applicable information that meets the individual needs of the patient.

Impact on patients

Cognitive overload in patients leads to decreased understanding of medical information and difficulties in treatment decision-making. This results in increased stress and potentially worse health outcomes.

The Divi as an outcome

The Divi offers an innovative approach to meeting these challenges:

  • Intrinsic load: When you show complex medical information visually and explain it in simple language, the content becomes less complicated.
  • Extrinsic load: By providing a clear structure, we make it easier for patients to find and understand the right information.
  • Targeted load: When you give information at the right time and link it to steps in the care process, the information becomes more useful and will be better applied.

 

Sources
Sweller, J. (1988). "Cognitive Load During Problem Solving: Effects on Learning." Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257-285.

Pusic, M. V., Ching, K., Yin, H. S., & Kessler, D. (2014). Seven practical principles for improving patient education: Evidence-based ideas from cognition science. Paediatrics & Child Health, 19(3), 119-122. https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/19.3.119

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