The effectiveness of preoperative education interventions on improving perioperative outcomes of adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Health literacy of patients eligible for cochlear implants

BACKGROUND

Hearing loss is known to be an independent risk factor for inadequate health literacy. The objective of this study was to assess the level of health literacy among patients undergoing cochlear implantation to determine areas for improvement in delivery of patient information.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted at the otology-neurotology clinic at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Patients eligible for cochlear implantation completed two health literacy screening tools: The Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA) and Brief Health Literacy Screen (BHLS).

RESULTS

Thirty seven patients were included (41% female, 59% male, mean age: 55 years). Most patients had adequate health literacy through BHLS (76%) and S-TOFHLA (98%) scoring. Over 80% of patients were not able to correctly recount all the operative risks associated with cochlear implant surgery and one third of patients did not correctly recount any risks associated with a cochlear implant surgery. Female sex was associated with higher scores (p=0.03) and low income (<$35,000) was associated with lower scores (p=0.05).

CONCLUSION

Patients eligible for cochlear implants have adequate health literacy, but most are not able to recount operative risks. Educational tools are required to improve patient retention, understand, and perioperative health information delivery.

The Effect of Combination Prayer Therapy and Education on Pre-operative Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Anxiety

Background: Anxiety is a problem that most often occurs in the pre-operative coronary artery bypass graft surgery stage. The combination of prayer therapy with education is expected to be able to overcome anxiety. The combination of prayer and education therapy have been researched as a potential holistic intervention for reducing anxiety in coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Purpose: This study compares the effect of combination therapy with the golden standard of therapy in hospitals. Methods: A true-experimental design was used. Fifty participants were randomly assigned to two groups. Data were collected using a State-Trait Anxiety Inventory questionnaire from Spielberger. Findings: Most respondents were elderly, male, high school graduates in the treatment group, and bachelor graduates in the control group. Prayer therapy and education have an effect of 63.8% on reducing anxiety. An increase of 1 constant in the provision of prayer therapy and education can reduce anxiety by 0.772. Conclusions: The combination of prayer therapy and education becomes the holistic nursing modality that can reduce anxiety in pre-operative coronary artery bypass graft patients.

Effectiveness of Peer-Based and Conventional Video Education in Reducing Perioperative Depression and Anxiety Among Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE

Depression and anxiety are common comorbidities in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), with potential adverse effects on surgical outcomes. Effective interventions to reduce depression and anxiety in these patients are therefore warranted. This study investigated the effectiveness of peer-based video education compared to conventional video education in reducing perioperative depression and anxiety in CABG patients.

DESIGN

A three-arm, parallel, randomized, controlled trial design was employed.

METHODS

A total of 114 participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups (n = 38 per group): standard education (control), conventional video education, and peer-based video education. State anxiety levels were measured using the Spielberger State Anxiety Questionnaire at 1 day before surgery (baseline), 1 hour before surgery, and 4 weeks after surgery. Depression levels were measured using the Beck Depression Inventory Short-Form at baseline and 4 weeks after surgery. Statistical analyses, including χ2, Fisher's exact test, one-way analysis of variance, and repeated-measures analysis of variance, were applied to analyze the collected data.

FINDINGS

Both peer-based and conventional video education groups demonstrated lower preoperative anxiety levels compared to the control group. However, only the peer-based video education group exhibited a statistically significant difference (P < .05). Four weeks after surgery, anxiety and depression levels decreased in all participants compared to baseline, with no statistically significant differences among the three groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that peer-based video education is more effective in controlling preoperative anxiety in patients undergoing CABG than conventional video education and standard education. Moreover, video-based education, whether conventional or peer-based, appears to be as effective as standard education in reducing anxiety and depression 4 weeks after CABG surgery. Further research is warranted to investigate the influence of content and presentation methods on patient outcomes and explore the potential long-term benefits of video-based education in promoting patient care.

Enhanced recovery pathways for head and neck surgery with free tissue transfer reconstruction

The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway is designed to facilitate recovery after surgery by packaging evidence-based protocols specific to each aspect of the perioperative period, including the preoperative, intraoperative, postoperative, and post-discharge periods. The ERAS pathway, which was originally developed for use with colonic resection, is now being expanded to include a variety of surgical procedures, and the ERAS Society has published a consensus review of the ERAS pathway for head and neck surgery with free tissue transfer reconstruction (HNS-FTTR). The ERAS pathway for HNS-FTTR consists of various important protocols, including early postoperative mobilization, early postoperative enteral nutrition, abolition of preoperative fasting, preoperative enteral fluid loading, multimodal pain management, and prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting. In recent years, meta-analyses investigating the utility of the ERAS pathway in head and neck cancer surgery have also been presented, and all reports showed that the length of the postoperative hospital stay was reduced by the implementation of the ERAS pathway. The ERAS pathway is now gaining traction in the field of head and neck surgery; however, the details of its efficacy remain uncertain. We believe the future direction will require research focused on improving the quality of postoperative patient recovery and patient satisfaction. It will be important to use patient-reported outcomes to determine whether the ERAS pathway is actually beneficial.

Care intervention on psychological outcomes among patients admitted to intensive care unit: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses

BACKGROUND

Numerous studies have explored care interventions to improve the psychological outcome of intensive care unit (ICU) patients, but inconclusive evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers, managers, and clinicians to get familiar with all available literature and find appropriate interventions. This umbrella review aimed to analyze the relationship between care intervention and psychological outcomes of ICU patients based on existing systematic reviews.

METHODS

An umbrella review of evidence across systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between 1987 and 2023 was undertaken. We systematically searched reviews that examined the association between care intervention and the improvement of adverse psychological outcomes in ICU patients using PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and manual reference screening. The measurement tool (AMSTAR 2) was applied to evaluate the methodological quality of included studies. The excess significance bias, between-study heterogeneity expressed by I2, small-study effect, and evidence class were estimated.

RESULTS

A total of 5110 articles were initially identified from the search databases and nine of them were included in the analysis. By applying standardized criteria, only weak evidence was observed in 13 associations, even though most included reviews were of moderate to high methodological quality. These associations pertained to eight interventions (music therapy, early rehabilitation, post-ICU follow-up, ICU diary, information intervention, preoperative education, communication and psychological support, surrogate decision-making) and five psychological outcomes (post-intensive care syndrome, transfer anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression). Weak or null association was shown among the rest of the associations (e.g., weak association between music therapy and maternal anxiety or stress level).

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence of these eight supporting interventions to improve the adverse psychological outcomes of ICU patients and caregivers was weak. Data from more and better-designed studies with larger sample sizes are needed to establish robust evidence.

The pathophysiology and management of depression in cardiac surgery patients

Background

Depression is common in the cardiac surgery population. This contemporary narrative review aims to explore the main pathophysiological disturbances underpinning depression specifically within the cardiac surgery population. The common non-pharmacological and pharmacological management strategies used to manage depression within the cardiac surgery patient population are also explored.

Methods

A total of 1291 articles were identified through Ovid Medline and Embase. The findings from 39 studies were included for qualitative analysis in this narrative review.

Results

Depression is associated with several pathophysiological and behavioral factors which increase the likelihood of developing coronary heart disease which may ultimately require surgical intervention. The main pathophysiological factors contributing to depression are well characterized and include autonomic nervous system dysregulation, excessive inflammation and disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. There are also several behavioral factors in depressed patients associated with the development of coronary heart disease including poor diet, insufficient exercise, poor compliance with medications and reduced adherence to cardiac rehabilitation. The common preventative and management modalities used for depression following cardiac surgery include preoperative and peri-operative education, cardiac rehabilitation, cognitive behavioral therapy, religion/prayer/spirituality, biobehavioral feedback, anti-depressant medications, and statins.

Conclusion

This contemporary review explores the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to depression following cardiac surgery and the current management modalities. Further studies on the preventative and management strategies for postoperative depression in the cardiac surgery patient population are warranted.

Predictors of Psychological Distress among Post-Operative Cardiac Patients: A Narrative Review

Following surgery, over 50% of cardiac surgery patients report anxiety, stress and/or depression, with at least 10% meeting clinical diagnoses, which can persist for more than a year. Psychological distress predicts post-surgery health outcomes for cardiac patients. Therefore, post-operative distress represents a critical recovery challenge affecting both physical and psychological health. Despite some research identifying key personal, social, and health service correlates of patient distress, a review or synthesis of this evidence remains unavailable. Understanding these factors can facilitate the identification of high-risk patients, develop tailored support resources and interventions to support optimum recovery. This narrative review synthesises evidence from 39 studies that investigate personal, social, and health service predictors of post-surgery psychological distress among cardiac patients. The following factors predicted lower post-operative distress: participation in pre-operative education, cardiac rehabilitation, having a partner, happier marriages, increased physical activity, and greater social interaction. Conversely, increased pain and functional impairment predicted greater distress. The role of age, and sex in predicting distress is inconclusive. Understanding several factors is limited by the inability to carry out experimental manipulations for ethical reasons (e.g., pain). Future research would profit from addressing key methodological limitations and exploring the role of self-efficacy, pre-operative distress, and pre-operative physical activity. It is recommended that cardiac patients be educated pre-surgery and attend cardiac rehabilitation to decrease distress.

Efficacy of nonpharmacologic interventions in preoperative anxiety: A systematic review of systematic reviews

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

Evidence suggests that preparing patients for surgery using nonpharmacological strategies reduces their anxiety. However, there is no consensus on what the best practices are. This study aims to answer the question: Are interventions using nonpharmacological therapies effective in reducing preoperative anxiety?

BACKGROUND

Preoperative anxiety causes physiological and psychological adverse effects, with a negative effect on postoperative recovery.

INTRODUCTION

According to the World Health Organization, between 266 and 360 million surgical procedures are performed annually worldwide, and it is estimated that more than 50% of patients will experience some degree of preoperative anxiety.

DESIGN

Systematic review of systematic reviews with results of interventions aimed at mitigating preoperative anxiety.

METHODS

A search was conducted for systematic reviews with meta-analyses published between 2012 and 2021 in Medline, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. Quality was assessed using the AMSTAR-2 scale. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO.

RESULTS

A total of 1016 studies were examined, of which 17 systematic reviews were selected, yielding 188 controlled trials with 16,884 participants. In adults, the most common intervention included music, followed by massage, in children virtual reality and clowns. Almost all controlled trials reported a reduction in preoperative anxiety after the intervention, of which almost half had statistically significant results.

CONCLUSION

Interventions that include music, massage and virtual reality reduce preoperative anxiety and have shown that they are cost-effective, minimally invasive and with a low risk of adverse effects. Preoperative anxiety can be reduced through a short-term intervention involving nursing professionals as an alternative or complement to drugs.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

This review suggests that nursing professionals, in collaboration with other health professionals, should continue to conduct research on the reduction in preoperative anxiety. Further research in this area is needed, to reduce heterogeneity and consolidate the results.

NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Not applied to our study, as it is a systematic review of systematic reviews.