A survey of patient comprehension of readily accessible online educational material regarding plastic surgery procedures.

PURPOSE: When an elective procedure is under consideration, the Internet may often be the first resource utilized by a patient.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of the present study was to examine the comprehension of readily available online educational material by the patient population in a single plastic surgery clinic.

METHODS: Two 5-question surveys were constructed: 1 for breast augmentation and 1 for rhinoplasty, each based on explanatory passages from patient education sections of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) websites. Demographic data were also collected. One hundred patients who presented to the University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey, completed the survey.

RESULTS: Mean patient age was 38.8 years. Mean number of completed educational years was 11.7. Across all groups, the mean score recorded was 3.41 out of a possible 5, with 1 point being assigned for each correct answer. The mean score was 3.54 for the ASPS website and 3.28 for the ASAPS website. The mean score was 3.26 for the breast augmentation survey and 3.56 for rhinoplasty. Neither difference was significant.

CONCLUSIONS: No significant difference in scores was noted between websites or procedures. Patients understood the majority of the information presented in the passage provided to them. It is unrealistic to expect a patient to answer all questions correctly, although 23% of participants did. Patients appear to understand the material and are able to subsequently apply this knowledge to an objective measure of comprehension.