Abstract:
The purposes of this research were to study the information related to treatment-outcomes that health care providers contributed to patients perception, outcome-expectation and intention to comply with treatment, among patients with brachial plexus injury. In addition, the study also examined the relationships among these three variations. Within a period of eight months for data collection, fifty - three patients with brachial plexus injury, who were waiting for surgery at Siriraj Hospital, were interviewed by using a questionnaire. The study also included in-depth interviews of ten healthcare providers (four physicians, three nurses, and three physical therapists) about treatment-outcome information given. The results of this study revealed that most of the patients perceived the treatment-outcome form health care providers at a low to moderate level, but the outcome-expectation was at a moderate level, and there was in a very high level for the intention to comply with treatment. Moreover, the three variables were also analyzed to explain their associations. It was found that the perceived treatmentoutcome information given by health care providers was positively associated with outcome-expectation (r = 0.307, P = 0.045), especially in male samples who showed powerless of their biceps muscles, as well as in the patients who had a surgery. However, the intention to comply with treatment did not significantly associate with the perceived treatment-outcome information and the outcome-expectation (P > 0.05). For the in-depth interviewed data, it showed that physicians were the key persons who explained about treatmentoutcomes by providing patients real physical status, and they also mentioned the duration of the treatment in that it would take time. For nurses, they would advise patients how to take care of themselves for better outcomes, along with encouraging them to have better spirits. In addition, the physical therapists would inform them how to practice rehabilitation techniques in order to gain good outcomes. Moreover, nurses and physical therapists information referred to the physicians information. From the findings, it should suggest that providing treatment- outcome information of health care providers was important to patients perceptions and outcome-expectation. Therefore, health care providers should be aware of giving appropriately significant information, especially in brachial plexus injury patients."