title: Prospective evaluation of preoperative concern among patients considering endoscopic sinus surgery: initial validation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients considering surgery face many uncertainties and concerns. This investigation aimed to develop an objective assessment tool for characterizing the areas of greatest concern among patients considering endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS).
  
  
  METHODS
  As part of validating a clinical measure concerning perioperative concerns, patients presenting with chronic rhinosinusitis with or without nasal polyposis were voluntarily recruited. A total of 30 individuals completed a novel 19-item questionnaire during their initial clinical visit and again 3 days later. Outcomes included descriptive statistics and test-retest reliability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data suggest that patient responses did not vary with age or gender. The questionnaire demonstrated strong test-retest reliability, with alpha values from 0.881 to 0.942. Between-rater reliability was consistent, with an average intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.913. No relationships between question order and patient response was identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients considering ESS have concerns that remain stable in the early preoperative period requiring surgeon-initiated inquiry and counsel. This is the first study to evaluate preoperative patient concerns, and initially establishes the Western Surgical Concern Inventory-ESS (WSCI-ESS) as a means of ensuring adequate patient counseling and a method of evaluating perioperative patient education.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Schulich School of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: Brian W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Rotenberg
authors.forename: Jeff C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: Jason H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Franklin
authors.forename: Philip C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Doyle
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003657:Decision Making; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*