title: Effects of patient education and therapeutic suggestions on cataract surgery patients: a randomized controlled clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper describes a randomized controlled single blind study testing the effects of a patient education intervention combined with positive therapeutic suggestions on anxiety for cataract surgery patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  84 patients participated in the study. Physiological and behavioral indicators of anxiety were compared between a regularly treated control and an intervention group receiving an audio CD containing information, relaxation, and positive imagery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the intervention group was calmer throughout the four measurement points of the study (p=.004; d=0.71) and they were more cooperative (p=.01; d=0.60) during the operation. The groups did not differ in sleep quality before the day of the operation, heart rate during the procedure, and subjective Well-being.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings indicate that preoperative information combined with positive suggestions and anxiety management techniques might reduce patient anxiety in the perioperative period of cataract surgery, but further research is needed to investigate the benefits of such interventions and to uncover the underlying mechanisms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient education interventions providing additional anxiety management techniques are recommended for use prior to cataract surgery.
authors.affiliation: Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Affective Psychology Department, Budapest, Hungary. Electronic address: kekecs.zoltan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kekecs
authors.affiliation: Semmelweis University, Faculty of Health Scienses, Hungary.
authors.forename: Edit
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jakubovits
authors.affiliation: Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Affective Psychology Department, Hungary.
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Varga
authors.affiliation: Szent János Kórház és Észak-budai Egyesített Kórházak, Ophthalmology, Hungary.
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gombos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002386:Cataract / Q000523:psychology; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000523:psychology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013637:Tape Recording
keywords: Anxiety; Guided imagery; Ophthalmic surgery; Patient education; Relaxation; Therapeutic suggestions