Educating Patients on Nutrition Using a Short Computer-Based Video

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine if computer-based videos can successfully educate patients about the health benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet (WFPBD) during the clinic wait time. As physicians, we recognize the importance of nutrition in disease prevention and treatment. Therefore, we investigated the effectiveness of a video-based educational model in increasing patient knowledge and confidence regarding diet. Methods: Subjects (n = 77) were recruited from an outpatient clinic. An electronic survey was developed and administered to patients before and after watching a 5-minute educational computer-based video about the beneficial health effects of WFPBD. Responses to the survey’s 10 knowledge-based (KB) questions were scoredon a dichotomous incorrect/correct scale, and the survey’s 9 confidence-based (CB) questions were scored on a likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Paired pre- to post-video intervention difference scores (knowledge and confidence) were calculated for each patient and independently analyzed using a related-samples Wilcoxon signed rank test. one-way ANoVA tests were used to investigate survey questions demonstrating the greatest improvement post-video intervention. Results: Statistically significant improvements in patient knowledge and confidence in their knowledge of nutrition after watching the brief educational video on nutrition were found. Patients scored significantly higher post-video intervention than pre-video intervention on KB survey questions (z = 5.748; P< .001) and CB survey questions (z= 6.605; P< .001). Statistical significance remained across all self-reported chronic condition groups, except for obesity (oB) and atherosclerosis (AS) groups for total knowledge and AS group for total confidence. one-way ANoVA tests confirmed that self-reported chronic conditions did not significantly predict baseline (pre-intervention) total KB or CB scores. The exploratory question-specific analysis demonstrated that the survey questions regarding average daily fiber consumption (P< 0.001) and the association of saturated fats with chronic disease (P= 0.001) were the most significant predictors of the increase in patient knowledge post-intervention. Conclusion: our findings indicate that providing patients with a short computerbased educational video during clinic wait time can significantly increase patient knowledge on the health benefits of a WFPBD. Future studies can test the model on a larger, more varied sample of patients and gauge the longevity of the knowledge gained from this educational model.