Impact of Multimedia CD Education on the Quality of Colon Preparation; A Single-Blind Randomized Study

Routine bowel preparation instructions are usually given to patients in the form of oral explanations with written instructions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of multimedia training in the form of video CDs on the quality of colon preparation and other related indicators.

201 outpatients in three referral academic colonoscopy centers were randomly assigned to two groups. The first group (n = 100) received supplementary video CD education besides the routine instructions (VCD group). The second group (n = 101) received only routine instruction, which included oral and printed instructions (non-VCD group).

Complete use of colon cleansing medication was statistically and significantly better in the VCD group (P = 0.038). Duration of colonoscopy was shorter in the VCD group (P = 0.001), demand for conscious sedation was lesser in the VCD group (P = 0.049), and the quality of colon preparation was better in the VCD group (P < 0.00). There was no statistically significant difference in pain sensation (P = 0.1), cecal intubation rate (P = 0.3), and technical difficulty of the colonoscopy (P = 0.1) in both groups.

Supplementary education in the form of multimedia CD increases the patients’ compliance to cleansing mediation consumption, improves the quality of bowel preparation, and decreases the duration of colonoscopy with lesser demands for conscious sedation.