Theoretical foundations of patient education best practice

Understanding why patient education works is just as important as knowing what to teach.

Theories of education provide valuable insight into how patients learn and what works best for them, helping us choose the most effective approaches of how we can use patient education in real settings (Syx, 2008).

Rather than relying on a single approach, effective patient education draws from multiple theoretical models (Glanz et al., 2008). Key frameworks include adult learning theory (Knowles, 1988), which acknowledges that patients bring prior experiences and prefer practical, problem-solving approaches; the patient-centred model (Jette, 1994), which emphasises collaboration and shared decision-making; and the self-efficacy theory (Bandura, 1977), which highlights the importance of building confidence in patients to manage their own health needs.

These models are particularly relevant to physiotherapy, where education is not just about providing information but about engaging, motivating, and empowering patients (Chesbro & Davis, 2002; Beagley, 2011; Friedman et al., 2011).

Let’s look at each of these in turn and see how we might apply these principles in practice.