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Should patients be optimistic about surgery? Resolving a conflicted literature
1a Department of Psychology , University of California , Riverside , CA , USA.
Health Psychology Review
|April 19, 2017
Summary
Realistic optimism regarding surgical expectations is linked to better patient outcomes. Unrealistic optimism, however, can negatively impact psychosocial adjustment and quality of life after surgery.
Area of Science:
- Psychosocial outcomes
- Surgical patient experience
Background:
- Post-surgical patients can experience distress, disappointment, and reduced quality of life.
- Surgeons often focus on objective clinical results, while patients evaluate success based on their initial expectations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the literature on the connection between patient expectations and psychosocial outcomes after surgery.
- To resolve conflicting findings regarding the impact of optimism on surgical outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Literature review examining studies on preoperative expectations and psychosocial outcomes.
- Analysis of methodological differences in studies assessing optimism's impact.
Main Results:
- Studies focusing solely on preoperative expectations suggest optimism correlates with positive psychosocial outcomes.
- Studies comparing expectations to objective outcomes indicate unrealistic optimism is linked to negative psychosocial outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Optimistic surgical expectations are associated with positive psychosocial outcomes when they are realistic.
- Unrealistic preoperative optimism can become a liability, leading to adverse psychosocial effects post-surgery.