How Does Health Education Given to Lung Cancer Patients Before Thoracotomy Affect Pain, Anxiety, and Respiratory...

In this study, it was aimed to determine how the postoperative pain level, state-trait anxiety level, and respiratory function were affected by the health education given through a patient education booklet to patients with lung cancer, in comparison with control group, before pulmonary resection through thoracotomy. The 60 patients (n = 60) having pulmonary resection indication because of lung cancer were recruited in the present study. The patients were separated as control (n = 30) and experimental groups (n = 30). The patient education was applied to patients in the experimental groups via the education booklet 24 h before the surgery. Patients in the control groups received only usual clinical nursing information. The pain was evaluated via visual analog scale (VAS). The State-Trait Anxiety Scale (STAS) was used for evaluating the anxiety level. The evaluated pulmonary functions were peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), and forced expiratory flow 25-75 (FEF25-75). The pain level of the experimental group was statistically lower than control group (p < 0.05). The state anxiety level of experimental group received education was statistically lower than control group (p < 0.05). There was no any statistical difference in trait anxiety levels between control and experimental groups (p > 0.05). The FEV1 and FEF25-75 values in experimental group were statistically higher than control group. A planned health education applied via the thoracotomy patient education booklet has a positive effect on clinical recovery process by affecting postoperative pain, state anxiety, and FEV1 and FEF25-75 values.