Improving capability, opportunity and motivation to support hereditary angioedema patients experiencing life threatening attacks: Pilot evaluation of a video-based training tool for healthcare professionals

BACKGROUND: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare inherited illness which causes swelling and can be life-threatening without urgent treatment. Patients who experience life-threatening throat swellings report poor emergency care experiences and long-term psychological distress from these encounters. METHODS: A > 5-min video intervention to improve emergency care for hereditary angioedema was developed using behaviour change theory. The video was piloted with nursing students using a mixed-methods evaluation approach including a pre-test post-test pilot experimental design and open-ended survey questions. RESULTS: Capability, opportunity and motivation to support HAE patients in need of emergency care improved following intervention exposure. The video was perceived to be engaging, educational, and motivating and appeared to shift attitudes and intentions towards listening, validating, and acting promptly when caring for patients. DISCUSSION: The short video intervention shows promise for use with emergency care professionals. Improvements could include supplementing the video with further resources and cues to action such as infographics. Evaluation with emergency care professionals and assessment of longer-term information retention and behaviour change is needed.