Research and Effect Evaluation of the Role of Health Education in Obtaining Care for Acquired Pneumonia in Elderly Communities

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the role and effectiveness of a comprehensive health education intervention in improving disease management and quality of life outcomes among elderly patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Methods: This prospective study enrolled 80 elderly CAP patients admitted to the hospital between July 2019 and July 2022. The patients were randomly allocated to a control group (n=40) and a health education group (n=40). The control group received routine standard of care, while the health education group received structured health education in addition to the standard of care. The following outcome measures were assessed: (1) Disease knowledge; (2) Symptom relief; (3) Quality of life; (4) Therapeutic effectiveness. Results: The health education group demonstrated significantly better disease knowledge compared to the control group (P<0.05). While there was no significant difference in the time for fever relief between the groups (P>0.05), the health education group had shorter relief times for respiratory rate and cough compared to the control group (P<0.05). Additionally, the health education group had higher quality of life scores across the physical, psychological, and overall health domains (P<0.05). The total effective rate, defined as the proportion of patients with marked effectiveness and effectiveness, was significantly higher in the health education group compared to the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study provides compelling evidence that a comprehensive health education intervention integrated into the nursing care of elderly CAP patients can effectively improve their disease knowledge, accelerate symptom relief, and enhance overall quality of life. The findings underscore the importance of incorporating structured health education as a key component of the holistic management of elderly CAP patients in clinical practice. Further research is warranted to explore the long-term impacts and cost-effectiveness of such health education interventions in this vulnerable patient population.