Evaluation of a virtual dialogue method for breast cancer patient education.

OBJECTIVE: Virtual dialogue--a voice-activated, interactive computer model that enables a user to have an individual virtual conversation with a real person--was evaluated as a method to educate women about breast cancer. Virtual dialogues with breast cancer experts were developed and used in a field study by women with and without the disease to assess the method's effectiveness. METHODS: In a clinical setting, subjects engaged in one-on-one virtual dialogues with an oncologist and a breast surgeon, and completed automated pre-post instruments developed to measure the feasibility of the method, and subjects' knowledge gain and acceptance of the method. RESULTS: Seventy women, 39 with breast cancer and 31 without the disease, participated. The data demonstrated the feasibility and acceptance of the method, and significant learning gain across all subjects. CONCLUSION: Virtual dialogues with knowledgeable health professionals can be a new and effective method for educating women about breast cancer. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Virtual dialogues may systematically comfort patients while providing them with comprehensive and reliable basic information about breast cancer. The method may also give health care providers more time to address their patients' specific concerns.

An assessment of the virtual conversations method for prostate cancer patient education.

INTRODUCTION: Virtual dialogue is a specific educational methodology that employs speech recognition, digital video, and computer technologies in a symbiotic relationship to allow users to have the illusion of a face-to-face conversation with a person in cyberspace. A voice-activated, interactive, virtual dialogue with a prostate cancer specialist was developed and tested in a clinical setting at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC). OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was two-fold: (a) to create a prototype virtual dialogue program on the subject of prostate cancer and (b) to evaluate the effectiveness of this method to educate men about their disease and treatment. METHOD: Participants were recruited using a convenience sample of patients attending the Center for Prostate Disease Research multidisciplinary clinic at WRAMC. An automated pretest and post-test instrument was developed by the investigators to assess patients' knowledge before and after the virtual dialogue session. RESULTS: A total of 33 patients volunteered for the study. Results from this convenience sample showed an increase in patients' knowledge and positive acceptance of this innovative method of patient education. CONCLUSIONS: The data resulting from this study provide persuasive evidence that a virtual dialogue with a knowledgeable health professional can be a useful and highly effective method for educating men about prostate cancer. This method may also offer an effective way for health professionals to systematically provide their patients with comprehensive and reliable information.