Introduction:

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent pathologies in the world. Early diagnosis and compliance with healthy living conditions are important. To achieve this, information is essential. However, the patient with CRC is not well informed. This is, fundamentally, because hospital stays are becoming shorter and with less time for patient information and that professionals attend to too many patients. In modern healthcare systems, there is little time available to patient information. In addition, there are issues of interest to patients and their family that may go unnoticed by professionals. Therefore, it is ideal to work collaboratively.

Objective:

to meet the educational needs of patients with CRC and develop and test an educational intervention to address those needs.

Methods:

This study is carried out in three phases, with the methodological basis of Mixed-Methods research. The result of each phase serves as input to the next. PHASE I: information needs about CRC, to cope with the disease in the best possible conditions, are tested using a questionnaire. PHASE II: Focus Groups of patients, family and professionals create an educational tailored tool; a book called InfoCRC. PHASE III: InfoCRC is tested, using an intervention study of two groups. The main outcome variable was the level of knowledge and its modifications using the book or not.

Results:

The educational needs of patients increase with age and female gender and decrease with education level. With InfoCRC, all the patients increase their level of knowledge

Conclusions:

patients can express their learnings needs about CRC. They can, with professionals, create a tool that contributes to coping with the problem of information. Education using InfoCRC was more effective than standard practice, in the level of knowledge; not only in disease issues but in healthier lifestyles.

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