Understanding Emotional Reactions to Elective Surgical Cancellations: Perspectives From Patients and Patient...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the emotional states of patients and patient relatives following the cancellation or postponement of elective surgeries.

A descriptive and cross-sectional study.

This study was conducted at a university hospital in Istanbul between 2023 and 2024. The sample consisted of 99 patients whose elective surgeries were canceled and 99 family members. To assess short-term emotional reactions, self-reported data were collected using the Mood Visual Analog Scale within 30 to 60 minutes after the cancellation notification.

The most commonly reported emotions among both patients and family members were sadness and feeling blue. The strongest hostile emotion was disagreeableness, while cheerfulness was the most frequently expressed positive emotion. Significant correlations were found between patients' and family members' negative emotion levels (r = 0.218 to 0.506; P < .05 to < .001). No correlation was observed between their positive emotion levels (P > .05). Emotional states did not significantly differ according to demographic characteristics (P > .05).

The findings emphasize the emotional burden experienced by both patients and patient relatives following surgical cancellations. The results underscore the importance of care practices that actively involve family members, acknowledge their informational and emotional needs, and ensure clear, timely communication to support emotional well-being in perioperative settings. Given the cross-sectional and single-center design, causal inferences cannot be drawn.