A Pilot Study Examining the Educational Impact of an Evidence-Based Lymphedema Booklet for Newly Diagnosed Melanoma Patients

In a pilot study from 2016, researchers examined the educational impact of an evidence-based lymphedema booklet on newly diagnosed melanoma patients. The study aimed to address the lack of educational resources on lymphedema, a condition that significantly affects patients' quality of life but is poorly understood among this population. The study involved three phases: a prebooklet survey and interview to assess patients' knowledge and need for information, the development of a twenty-page color booklet informed by phase one findings, and a postbooklet survey to evaluate the booklet's effectiveness. The booklet included diagrams, photographs, and patient-centered information on lymphedema risk factors, management, psychological health, complications, and treatments. Results showed that the booklet increased knowledge about various aspects of lymphedema by an average of 13% among the patient population. The booklet is now being used and distributed across cancer centers in Ontario, Canada. No commercial support was identified for this study.