Needed and Received Information for Preoperative Patients Undergoing Thoracic Surgery in Bangladesh

Abstract

Thoracic surgical patients, particularly those who lack relevant information, often perceive their operation as threating and are therefore anxious. Providing appropriate information enables patients to reduce negative effects and to increase their participation in postoperative care. The aims of this study were to determine the level of preoperative information required by patients undergoing thoracic surgery, to investigate the actual information provided to these patients, and then, to compare this information.

The descriptive study was conducted in four surgical wards in a national, specialized hospital in Dhaka from November 2009 to January 2010. Seventy surgical patients were recruited for the study. The Needed Information Questionnaire (NIQ), and the Received Information Questionnaire (RIQ) used in this study were validated and tested for reliability, yielding Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of .88 and .87, respectively. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Wilcox on Signed Ranks test.

The study revealed that subjects rated the preoperative needed information and the received information at a high level. Needed information was rated significantly higher than received information (P < .01). They received less preoperative information than required, particularly in terms of information relating to sensation and discomfort. This finding suggests that provision of specific information relating to sensation and discomfort should be made a priority.

The findings of the study provide baseline information for initiatives to improve quality care for preoperative patients. Further study with a large sample size is recommended.