title: Expectations in the context of gallbladder and hernia surgery: a descriptive report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients' expectations predict important health outcomes. The goal of this study is to describe the types of expectations that hernia and gallbladder patients have for the outcomes of their surgery and to identify relationships between these expectations and both patient- and surgeon-reported variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients (N = 143) at an out-patient surgery clinic completed self-report questionnaires before and after a pre-surgical consultation in which they learned they would be scheduled for surgery. After indicating their general expectations for their surgical outcomes (positive or negative), patients reported specific outcome expectations, which were coded into eight categories: functional improvement, symptom relief, quality-of-life improvement, emotional improvement, general health, no effect expected, no response (or unsure) and negative expectations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Functional improvement and symptom relief were the most common types of expectations mentioned by patients. A key finding was a significant difference in the pattern of expectations provided by Hispanic versus non-Hispanic patients, as well as between patients across the range of health literacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients undergoing hernia and gallbladder surgery have a variety of expectations, and these expectations vary across demographic groups. Patients who are particularly vulnerable to poor physician communication have positive but diffuse expectations.
authors.affiliation: University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Sara E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.affiliation: University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Arezou
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghane
authors.affiliation: University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Angela M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Legg
authors.affiliation: University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Arnold
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tabuenca
authors.affiliation: Riverside County Regional Medical Center, Moreno Valley, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sweeny
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000601:surgery*; D059685:Herniorrhaphy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011788:Quality of Life; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: disparities; expectations; gallbladder; hernia; surgery