To investigate the effect of teach-back on the compliance of mouth-opening training in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy.

Eighty patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University were selected. They were divided into intervention group and control group according to the random number table method. The intervention group used the teach-back method for health education, and the control group used conventional methods for health education. The knowledge mastery of mouth-opening training, the degree of compliance with mouth-opening training and the difficulty of mouth opening were compared between the two groups.

Within 1 week of the intervention group, the complete mastery rate, partial mastery rate, and unmastered rate was 77.5% (31/40), 17.5% (7/40), and 5.0% (2/40), respectively, within 2 weeks, that was 97.5% (39/40), 2.5% (1/40), 0. Within 1 week of the control group was 65.0% (26/40), 10.0% (4/40), 25.0% (10/40), respectively, within 2 weeks, that was 75.0% (30/40), 20.0% (8/40), and 5.0% (2/40). The knowledge mastery of mouth-opening training in the intervention group was higher than that in the control group within 1 week and 2 weeks, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (χ²=6.590, 8.618, P<0.05). At the end of radiotherapy, the complete compliance rate, partial compliance rate, and non-compliance rate of the intervention group was 90.0% (36/40), 10.0% (4/40), 0, respectively. After 3 months of radiotherapy, the rate was 75.0% (30/40), 22.5% (9/40), 2.5% (1/40). At the end of 6 months of radiotherapy, the rate was 60.0% (24/40),30.0% (12/40) and 10.0% (4/40). At the end of the radiotherapy, the control group was 70.0% (28/40), 20.0% (8/40), and 10.0% (4/40), respectively. After 3 months of radiotherapy, the rate was 40.0% (16/40), 45.0% (18/40) and 15.0% (6/40). After 6 months of radiotherapy, the rate was 20.0% (4/40), 40.0% (16/40), and 40.0% (16/40). The compliance of the intervention group at the end of radiotherapy, 3 months after radiotherapy, and 6 months after radiotherapy was higher than that of the control group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (χ²=5.986, 10.615, 15.771, P<0.05 or 0.01). In the intervention group, the incidence of Ⅰ degree, Ⅱ degree, Ⅲ degree and Ⅳ degree difficulty of mouth opening after 6 months of radiotherapy was 10.0% (4/40), 5.0% (2/40), 0, 0, respectively, and the control group was 15.0% (6/40), 15.0% (6/40), 2.5% (1/40), 2.5% (1/40), the incidence of difficulty of mouth opening of the intervention group was lower than that of the control group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (Z=15.737, P<0.01).

Teach-back can effectively improve the mastery of patients′ mouth-opening training knowledge and the compliance of mouth-opening training, which is beneficial to reduce the incidence of mouth-opening difficulties in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. It is worthy of clinical promotion.

Teach-back; Nasopharyngeal carcinoma; Mouth-opening training; Compliance