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

Prof. Arzu Tuna

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.