The Effects of Preoperative Education for Patients With Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

The results of previous experimental studies have been inconsistent in the effect of preoperative education on postoperative outcomes, and there have been no meta-analyses focusing solely on preoperative education for patients with cancer.

To identify the magnitude and direction of the effects of preoperative education and to investigate the influence of moderators on postoperative outcomes for patients undergoing cancer-related surgery.

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted following the Cochrane guidelines. Electronic databases were searched until October 2019 using Cochrane database, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL for randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies on preoperative education interventions. Ten studies with 45 effect sizes were analyzed in this meta-analysis, and the standardized mean difference was calculated based on Hedges' g as an effect size.

Meta-analysis showed that the overall effect size of preoperative education was moderate. Preoperative education improved cancer patients' knowledge and satisfaction and reduced pain. The effects of preoperative education were greater in younger age groups when delivered using verbal or combined educational methods.

This meta-analysis demonstrated the importance of preoperative educational interventions not only in terms of their surgery-related cognitive aspects but also in terms of the physical and psychological aspects linked to the cancer surgery.

Interventions to provide the most effective preoperative education for patients with cancer in the hospital setting are required, and this information can be used to develop evidence-based education strategies for patients undergoing cancer-related surgery.