Knowledge about benefits and risks of undergoing cataract surgery among cataract patients in Southern China

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveTo develop a theoretical framework for assessing knowledge about the possible outcomes of undergoing cataract surgery, and explore the association of knowledge level with psychological status and decision quality among patients with cataract in Southern China.MethodsThe details of the knowledge scale were based on the health education information booklet provided by National Eye Institute, NIH. We used a theory-based approach to assess gist knowledge, which comprises conceptual and numeric questions related to knowledge of the possible surgical outcomes. The scale was then used in a cross-sectional study to assess the association of knowledge score with psychological status and decision quality of cataract patients, including worry, anxiety, attitudes, intentions, decisional conflict, confidence in decision making, anticipated regret and temporal orientation.ResultsA total of 489 participants with age-related cataract were included in this study, and 10.2% (50/489) of them had adequate level of knowledge. The knowledge scale was significantly associated to the levels of worry (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.36, 95%CI: 0.18, 0.70; P = 0.003), anxiety (beta coefficient = -5.36, 95%CI: -8.88,-1.84; P = 0.003), inaction regret (OR = 0.49, 95%CI : 0.28, 0.88; P = 0.016) and decision conflict (beta coefficient = -7.93, 95%CI: -12.81, -3.04; P = 0.002) in multivariate analyses adjusted for age, sex, education level and literacy level.ConclusionThe level of knowledge adequacy with cataract surgery outcomes is high in China and was associated with psychological status and decision quality. These findings suggest that strategies targeting knowledge of possible surgical outcomes may reduce psychological stress and improve decision quality among patients with age-related cataract.