@article{2988167,
    title = "Empowering knowledge and its connection to health-related quality of life: A cross-cultural study. A concise and informative title: Empowering knowledge and its connection to health-related quality of life.",
    author = "Koekenbier, K. and Leino-Kilpi, H. and Cabrera, E. and Istomina, N. and Stark, T.J. and Katajisto, J. and Lemonidou, C. and Papastavrou, E. and Salanterä, S. and Sigurdardottir, A. and Valkeapää, K. and Eloranta, S.",
    journal = "Applied Nursing Research",
    year = "2016",
    volume = "29",
    pages = "211-216",
    publisher = "W.B. Saunders",
    issn = "0897-1897, 1532-8201",
    doi = "10.1016/j.apnr.2015.05.004",
    keywords = "clinical study;  Finland;  follow up;  Greece;  human;  Iceland;  patient education;  quality of life;  Spain;  surgery;  Sweden;  cultural factor;  osteoarthritis;  patient participation, Cross-Cultural Comparison;  Finland;  Greece;  Iceland;  Osteoarthritis;  Patient Participation;  Quality of Life;  Spain;  Sweden",
    abstract = "Aims: Assess the association between patient education (i.e. empowering knowledge) and preoperative health-related quality of life, 6 months postoperative health-related quality of life, and the increase in health-related quality of life in osteoarthritis patients who underwent total hip or total knee arthroplasty. Method: This is a cross-cultural comparative follow-up study using structured instruments to measure the difference between expected and received patient education and self-reported health-related quality of life (EQ-5D) in Finland, Greece, Iceland, Spain and Sweden. Results: The health-related quality of life was significantly increased 6 months postoperatively in all countries due to the arthroplasties. In the total sample, higher levels of empowering knowledge were associated with a higher health-related quality of life, both pre- and postoperatively, but not with a higher increase in health-related quality of life. On the national level, postoperative health-related quality of life was associated with higher levels of empowering knowledge in Finland, Iceland and Sweden. The increase in health-related quality of life was associated with levels of empowering knowledge for Greece. Conclusions: Overall, it can be concluded that the level of empowering knowledge was associated with high postoperative health-related quality of life in the total sample, even though there is some variation in the results per country. © 2015 Elsevier Inc."
}