Evaluating the effect of preoperative awareness on anxiety in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery: A randomized controlled study

Breast cancer is the most common and the first cause of cancer death among women. Today, with early diagnosis and existing treatment methods, the chances of survival of these patients are increasing. One of the most important treatment methods in these patients is breast surgery, which is considered as an anxious experience from the time the patient is aware of the need for surgery to the time of admitted in hospital. Preoperative awareness is one of the effective and essential methods to help reduce anxiety caused by surgery. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of preoperative awareness on anxiety in patients candidates for breast cancer surgery in 2019. 

The present study is a randomized clinical trial before and after intervention on 80 patients (40 in the control group, 40 in the intervention group) admitted to the surgery department of the Cancer Institute of Imam Khomeini Hospital by sampling method in access was done by random allocation through 4 blocks. Data collection tools included demographic characteristics, DASS-21 Stress Anxiety Depression Scale and educational intervention for patients in the control group of routine training and in the intervention group awareness based on the training booklet approved by cancer experts. Findings were analyzed using SPSS software version 21.

The analysis of the results showed a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of anxiety before and after in both control groups (P <0.001) and intervention group (P = <0.001) based on paired t-test. Also, independent t-test showed a statistically significant difference between the anxiety scores of patients after surgery in the intervention and control groups, so that the mean score in the intervention group was lower (P <0.001). 

The results of the present study indicate that the use of an educational booklet to raise awareness about post-surgical care knowledge and how to adapt to physical changes can reduce patientschr('39') anxiety and as a complementary method in training. The findings of this study have opened the way for conducting research focusing on the impact of awareness on anxiety, stress and depression in first class family of patients with breast cancer candidates.