Govert Veldhuijzen

77 E-PACO trial: CBE versus nurse counselling for patients to prepare for colonoscopy Table 3. Secondary outcomes in our earlier pilot study Nurse counselling (n, % scoring rate) Computer Assisted Instruction (n, % scoring rate) Nurse versus Computer Assisted Instruction (Mann-Whitney) Comfort Score after consult/CAI (T1) (1=very low, 5=very high) Mean 4.54, ± 0.56 Mean 4.17, ± 0.51 p = 0.000 (n=193, 98.0%) (n=188, 100%) Comfort Score before endoscopy (T2) Mean 4.29, ± 0.62 Mean 4.42, ± 0.68 p = 0.039 (1=very low, 5=very high) (n=162, 82.2%) (n=124, 66.0%) Comfort Score after endoscopy (T3) Mean 4.16, ± 0.93 Mean 4.28, ± 0.84 P = 0.322 (1=very low, 5=very high) (n=150, 76.1%) (n=117, 62.2%) Anxiety Score after consult/CAI (T1) (5=very low, 1=very high) Mean 3.16, ± 1.30 Mean 2.92, ± 1.22 p = 0.071 (n=193, 98.0%) (n=188, 100%) Anxiety Score before endoscopy (T2) (5=very low, 1=very high) Mean 2.80, ± 1.32 (n = 162, 82.2 %) Mean 2.90, ± 1.27 (n = 124, 66.0%) p = 0.451 Knowledge and Comprehension 10 item test score before endoscopy Mean 7.08, ± 1.17 (n = 164, 83.2 %) Mean 7.31, ± 1.11 (n = 127, 67.6%) p = 0.112 DISCUSSION The E-Patient Counselling (E-PACO) trial aims to study the utility, practicality, and patient-perceived usefulness of computer-based education (CBE), in comparison to conventional nurse counselling. In this manuscript the CBE is demonstrated together with the methodology used to evaluate the hypotheses. It is established that high quality colonoscopy is the golden standard for prevention of colorectal cancer. Inadequate bowel preparation is related to the missing of neoplasm’s and increase need for repeat examinations with increased costs and cumulative discomfort for patients. 18-20 The cleanliness of the colon or bowel preparation is the main quality measure and therefore used as primary outcome measure. Studies that focus on patient education prior to colonoscopy have yield significantly better results in bowel cleanliness for their intervention (cartoons, day-before-colonoscopy reminder calls and nurse counselling). 21-23 However, some of these trials are derived from non- Western populations, so cultural differences might hinder generalizing these findings in Western population. 4