Is it important to give patients verbal-visual information about the operation to improve their psychological functions in coronary artery bypass graft surgery?

Abstract

Purpose: Being well informed can help with developing strategies to cope, can contribute to the psychological well-being of patients and improve their quality of life. It is aimed to investigate the effect of verbal-visual information compared to only written information before the procedure on coping methods, quality of life and disability in patients who will undergo coronary artery bypass surgery. Materials and methods: Forty-eight patients were divided into two equal groups. While the first group was informed about the risks of the operation process and postoperative care verbally and visually, the other group was given only written information. All patients underwent standardized psychiatric interviews according to DSM V, before and after surgery The Brief Disability Questionnaire (BDQ), Coping Scale (COPE), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Health Related Quality of life Short-Form 36 (HRQOL-BRIEF SF-36) was applied.Results: Although psychiatric disorders are more common in women than men, no statistical difference was found. It was observed that the most common diagnosis was adjustment disorder. Although there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of anxiety and depressive symptoms and quality of life, it was observed that the use of religious coping decreased and disability increased after surgery only in the written-informed group. Further, disability scores were positively correlated with the endpoint depression and anxiety scores in the group given only written information.Conclusion: Being well-informed verbally and visually about the surgery process positively affects patients’ coping strategies and adjustment while decreasing psychiatric comorbidity and disability rates. Further longitudinal research is recommended in various cultures to identify patients’ modifiable risk factors in terms of psychological outcomes.