Video education improves patients’ knowledge and satisfaction in treatment of solar lentigines with picosecond 755-nm alexandrite laser: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND: Picosecond lasers are widely used in dermatologic and cosmetic practice. In clinical practice, informed consent for laser treatments is critical to ensure patients’ understanding of health information. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether video-based informed consent improves patient comprehension and satisfaction. METHODS: The study was performed from August 1 to November 30, 2022. Solar lentigines patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included. Before October 1, 2022, traditional informed consent methods were performed. In the subsequent 2 months, a video-based informed consent was used as an adjunct to traditional consenting methods. Finally, patient comprehension of relevant knowledge about laser treatment and client satisfaction were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 106 patients were included. The mean number of correct answers in the comprehension assessment in the video-based informed consent group was significantly higher than that in the traditional informed consent group (4.4 ± 1.2 vs. 3.4 ± 1.1, p < 0.001). Compared to the traditional informed consent group, more correct answers in the video-based informed consent group were provided by older patients (3.9 ± 1.2 vs. 2.9 ± 1.1, p = 0.004) and patients with lower education levels (4.1 ± 1.1 vs. 3.0 ± 1.2, p < 0.001). The mean satisfaction score in the video-based informed consent group was significantly higher than that in the traditional informed consent (27.8 ± 5.7 vs. 24.3 ± 6.2, p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Video-based informed consent helps patients learn clinical literacy more effectively and improves patient satisfaction, especially in those with lower education levels and older ages.