Abstract: Objective To evaluate the application of mind map in the health education for patients with arteriovenous fistula operation. Methods Sixty patients with regular autologous arteriovenous internal fistula were randomly divided into observation group (n=30) and control group (n=30). Observation group used mind map for health education, and control group adopted the traditional way for health education. Awareness of protective knowledge about arteriovenous fistula, psychological status before and after the vascular operation, and satisfactory feelings of the patients were compared between the two groups. Results As for the protective knowledge about arteriovenous fistulas, observation group was better than control group, and the difference was statistically significant (judging the patency of internal fistula: χ2=9.017, P=0.003; times of functional exercise: χ2=8.366, P=0.004; emergency management: χ2=7.954, P=0.005; avoidance of invasive operation: χ2=13.017, P=0.000; avoidance of lifting heavy objects: χ2=15.864, P=0.000; avoidance of compression on internal fistula: χ2=16.484, P=0.000). The satisfactory feelings were also better in observation group than in control group (Wilcoxon W=715.000, P=0.000). After the intervention, Self- Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) score and Self- Rating Depression Scale (SDS) score were lower in observation group than in control group (for SAS: t=3.457, P=0.000; for SDS: t=4.162, P=0.018). Conclusion Mind map in health education can improve the awareness of knowledge about protecting arteriovenous fistula, negative psychology, and satisfactory feelings, potentially useful in clinical practice.

Key words: mind map, arteriovenous internal fistula operation, health education