B A C K G R O U N D
According to the Patient’s Bill of Rights adopted by the American HospitalAssociation(AHA 1975),patientshavearighttoaccurate and complete knowledge regarding their illness and treatment. Patient education is an issue that has been extensively addressed in both research and literature. Teaching patients and families with a view to improving treatment compliance is a major goal in psychiatric nursing (Antai-Otong 1989). The psychiatric and mental health nursing practice standards include patient teaching and, according to these standards, client adherence to treatment regimens increaseswhenhealtheducation isanintegral part of the client’s care (ANA 1982).
Psychoeducation may bedefinedastheeducation of aperson with psychiatric disorder in subject areas that serve the goals of treatment and rehabilitation. The terms ’patient education’, ’patient teaching’, and ’patient instruction’ have also been used for this process. All imply that there is a focus on knowledge. Education is a gradual process by which a person gains knowledge and un
derstanding through learning. Learning, however, involves more than knowledge and, according to Rankin 1996, it can involve cognitive, affective and psychomotor processes. Learning implies changes in behaviour, skill or attitude (Falvo 1994). Patient education can take a variety of forms depending upon the abilities and interest of the patient and family. For example, the education may take place in small groups or on a one-to-one basis, it may involve the use of videotapes or pamphlets or a combination of these.
Thepurposeofpatienteducationistoenablethepatienttoengage inbehaviour change.Thegoalmaybetotrytopreventhospitalisationortomanage theillnessorcondition tohelpthepatient attain her/his maximum degree of health. Compliance with treatment for seriously or persistently mentally ill people is of great concern and is often a focus of patient education. Many people with severe mental illness are frequently and repeatedly hospitalised due to poor compliance with treatment. Many patients feel stigmatised by their illness and may deny its existence, which ultimately