Evaluation of the effectiveness of intervention with educational material in surgical patients: an integrative literature review

Objectives: To analyze the scientific literature on methods used in the evaluation of the effectiveness of printed educational materials designed for patients undergoing surgery. Method: This is an integrative literature review based on the following guiding question: "What methods are used to evaluate the effectiveness of printed educational materials in the education of surgical patients?" We considered studies published between 2000 and 2017 that appeared in ISI Web of Science, Virtual Health Library (VHL), PubMed, SCOPUS portals and/or databases and Cochrane. Results: We included 10 randomized clinical trials, all with printed educational materials (booklets). The studies revealed that the use of booklets contributed to a reduction not only in anxiety and depression levels, but also pain. Conclusion: Despite positive assessments regarding the intervention, there are still difficulties in measuring its effectiveness. Therefore, the best moment for the application of the assessment tool could not be established.