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Increased preoperative knowledge reduces surgery-related anxiety: a randomised clinical trial in 100 spinal stenosis patients

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Abstract

Purpose

To assess the impact of preoperative knowledge on anxiety, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), disability, and pain in surgically treated spinal stenosis patients.

Methods

One hundred patients were randomised into an intervention group (IG, n = 50) or control group (CG, n = 50). Both groups received routine preoperative patient education. IG additionally underwent a feedback session based on a knowledge test. Primary outcome measure was anxiety at the time of surgery. HRQoL, disability, and pain constituted the secondary outcome measures during a 6-month follow-up.

Results

In IG, a significant reduction in anxiety was noted after the intervention, whereas in CG, anxiety reduced only after the surgery. In both groups, a significant improvement in HRQoL, disability, and pain was noticed at the 6-month follow-up, but there were no between-group differences.

Conclusions

Higher knowledge level may reduce preoperative anxiety but does not seem to affect the self-reported clinical outcomes of surgery.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the role of Riikka Ruuskanen, RN, and Ella Haaranen in the study process. The study was supported by The Finnish Nurses Association, The Finnish Association of Nursing Research, The Research Association of Nurses, and the government research funds Granted by the Orton Research Foundation (9310/401).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland

    Jukka Kesänen, Helena Leino-Kilpi & Kirsi Valkeapää

  2. Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki, Finland

    Jukka Kesänen

  3. Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland

    Helena Leino-Kilpi

  4. Helsinki University Hospital, Jorvi Hospital, Espoo, Finland

    Teija Lund

  5. Orton Orthopaedic Hospital and Research Institute, Orton Foundation, Helsinki, Finland

    Liisa Montin

  6. National Institute for Health and Welfare, Turku, Finland

    Pauli Puukka

Authors
  1. Jukka Kesänen
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  2. Helena Leino-Kilpi
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  3. Teija Lund
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  4. Liisa Montin
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  5. Pauli Puukka
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  6. Kirsi Valkeapää
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jukka Kesänen.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Kesänen, J., Leino-Kilpi, H., Lund, T. et al. Increased preoperative knowledge reduces surgery-related anxiety: a randomised clinical trial in 100 spinal stenosis patients. Eur Spine J 26, 2520–2528 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-017-4963-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-017-4963-4

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