title: The information requirements and self-perceptions of Turkish women undergoing hysterectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the affects, information requirements and self-perceptions of Turkish women undergoing hysterectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 37 Turkish women undergoing hysterectomy and followed in a gynecology unit of a state hospital in Canakkale, Turkey, between February and August 2012. Data were collected before discharge with a questionnaire composed of 32 questions. Percentage distributions and Chi-square test were used in the evaluation of the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant relationship between fear of anesthesia and number of pregnancies (p=0.007) and between death during surgery and number of pregnancies in the preoperative period (p=0.027). The relationship between knowing type of surgery and knowing when sutures would be removed was also significant in post-operative period (p=0.045). In addition, there was a significant relationship between women's living only with their husbands and worrying about not having children anymore (p=0.032).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The women's information needs were high and women's self-perceptions had been affected negatively after hysterectomy. It is recommended that nurses, primarily health professionals should have adequate knowledge on comprehensive care and psychosocial support after hysterectomy.
authors.affiliation: Emine Gercek, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor, Nursing Department, Adnan Menderes University, Soke School of Health, Soke, Aydin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gercek
authors.affiliation: Nursel Alp Dal, MsC, Lecturer, Nursing Department, Tunceli University, Tunceli School of Health, Tunceli, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nursel Alp
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Dal
authors.affiliation: Hande Dag, PhD, Research Assistant, Obstetrics and Gynecologic Nursing Department, Ege University, Faculty of Nursing, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hande
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dag
authors.affiliation: Seyran Senveli, Lecturer, Nursing Department, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, School of Health, Canakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Seyran
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Senveli
keywords: Discharge; Information Needs; Pre and Post-Hysterectomy; Psychological Status