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Proper information during the surgical decision-making process lowers the anxiety of patients with high-grade gliomas

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Abstract

Purpose

We aim to analyse the relationship between the quality of information during the decision-making process regarding surgery to treat high-grade gliomas and the level of anxiety of the patients.

Methods

This is a transversal, descriptive and correlational study on 26 patients with a clinical and radiological diagnosis of high-grade glioma. They scored the quality (in terms of comprehension and satisfaction) of information received about the treatment options and prognosis during the surgical decision-making process, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale questionnaire (HADS) was applied immediately afterward.

Results

Lower levels of anxiety were observed in patients who showed a desire to receive information regarding their illness, those with a higher degree of comprehension, and those with a higher level of satisfaction with the information provided.

Conclusions

An improvement in the communication process contributes to a decrease in the levels of anxiety, and consequently to enhancement of the well-being of these patients.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by a grant by the Fundación Grifols I Lucas.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Juan A. Barcia

    Present address: Servicio de Neurocirugía, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Servicio de Neurocirugía, Hospital General Universitario de Valencia, Valencia, Spain

    José L. Díaz, José M. Gallego & Juan A. Barcia

  2. Departamento de Personalidad, Facultad de Psicologia, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain

    Pilar Barreto

  3. Departamento de Hematología, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain

    Javier Barbero

  4. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Ramón Bayés

Authors
  1. José L. Díaz
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  2. Pilar Barreto
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  3. José M. Gallego
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  4. Javier Barbero
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  5. Ramón Bayés
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  6. Juan A. Barcia
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Juan A. Barcia.

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Díaz, J.L., Barreto, P., Gallego, J.M. et al. Proper information during the surgical decision-making process lowers the anxiety of patients with high-grade gliomas. Acta Neurochir 151, 357–362 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-009-0195-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-009-0195-7

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