Uncertainty expression in surgical patients of organ removal: a cross-sectional study

Introduction: The surgical treatment of organ removal seems to meet a number of pathologies that emerge as health needs of populations. In this context, the state of uncertainty is installed.Objective: To investigate the uncertainty in illness in surgical patients of organ removal.Method: Cross-sectional study developed with patients admitted to the surgical outpatient clinic of a university hospital. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were collected, in addition to applying Mishel uncertainty in illness scale.Results: The profile of medical diagnoses in the 60 participants showed that the most frequent diseases were the neoplasms. As for the scale application, 68% of the participants presented scores greater than or equal to 80 points. The value found for the Cronbach’s Alpha was 0.842. The surgical procedures abdominal hysterectomy and mastectomy, which were the most prevalent for the participants, are associated with uncertainty domains.Conclusions: High levels of uncertainty demonstrated the need for the management of this condition. The psychosocial aspects of surgical treatments are disregarded at the expense of the clinical restoration, circumstances that neglect the patient’s emotional suffering. The improvement of communication between the health professional and the patient can influence to prevent the manifestation of the lack of information, one of the forms of expressing uncertainty. Aspects such as the patient’s socioeconomic profile, educational level and income must be taken into account in the surgical treatment of organ removal. The uncertainty experienced by these patients needs to be better known and widely disseminated to gain prominence in the health care setting. Introducción: El tratamiento quirúrgico de la extirpación de órganos parece satisfacer una serie de patologías que surgen como necesidades de salud de las poblaciones. En este contexto, se instala el estado de incertidumbre.Objetivo: Investigar la incertidumbre de la extracción de un órgano en pacientes quirúrgicos.Método: Estudio transversal realizado con pacientes hospitalizados en la clínica quirúrgica de un hospital universitario. Variables sociodemográficas y clínicas fueron recogidas, además, se aplicó la escala de incertidumbre en la enfermedad de Mishel.Resultados: El perfil de diagnósticos médicos en los 60 participantes mostró que las enfermedades más frecuentes fueron las neoplasias. Con relación a la aplicación de la escala, el 68% de los participantes presentaron puntuaciones mayores o iguales a 80 puntos. El valor hallado para el alfa de Cronbach fue de 0,842. Los procedimientos quirúrgicos histerectomía abdominal y mastectomía, que fueron los más frecuentes para los participantes, están asociados con áreas de incertidumbre.Conclusiones: Los altos niveles de incertidumbre demostraron la necesidad de la gestión de esta condición. Los aspectos psicosociales de los tratamientos quirúrgicos son desconsiderados a expensas de la restauración clínica, circunstancias en que se descuida el sufrimiento emocional del paciente. La mejora de la comunicación entre los profesionales de la salud y el paciente puede influir para prevenir la manifestación de la falta de información, una de las formas de la expresión de la incertidumbre. Aspectos como el perfil socioeconómico del paciente, el nivel educativo y los ingresos deben tenerse en cuenta en el tratamiento quirúrgico de la extracción de órganos. La incertidumbre experimentada por estos pacientes debe conocerse mejor y difundirse ampliamente para que estos aspectos se destaquen en el entorno de la atención médica. Introdução: O tratamento cirúrgico de retirada de órgãos surge para atender a uma diversidade de patologias que emergem como necessidade de saúde apresentadas pelas populações, sendo considerado um procedimento que provoca no paciente sentimentos de incerteza.Objetivo: Investigar a incerteza na doença, em pacientes cirúrgicos submetidos à retirada de órgão.Método: Estudo transversal desenvolvido com pacientes internados na clínica cirúrgica de um hospital universitário. Coletaram-se as variáveis sociodemográficas e clínicas e aplicou-se a escala da incerteza na doença de Mishel (MUIS).Resultados: O perfil de diagnósticos médicos nos 60 participantes revelou que as doenças mais frequentes foram as neoplasias. Quanto a aplicação da escala, 68% dos participantes apresentaram escores maiores ou iguais a 80 pontos. O valor encontrado para o Alpha de Cronbach foi de 0,842. Os procedimentos cirúrgicos, histerectomia via abdominal e mastectomia, os quais foram os mais prevalentes para os participantes, se associam aos domínios da incerteza.Conclusões: Elevados níveis de incerteza evidenciaram a necessidade do manejo dessa condição. Os aspectos psicossociais dos tratamentos cirúrgicos acabam secundarizados em detrimento do reestabelecimento clínico, circunstância em que se negligencia o sofrimento emocional do paciente. A melhora da comunicação entre o profissional da saúde e o paciente pode influenciar para que não ocorra a manifestação da falta de informação, uma das formas de expressão da incerteza. Aspectos como perfil socioeconômico do paciente, escolaridade e renda devem ser levados em consideração no tratamento cirúrgico de retirada de órgãos. A incerteza vivenciada por esses pacientes precisa ser mais conhecida e amplamente disseminada para ganhar destaque no ambiente de saúde.

Fear of Cancer Recurrence, Health Anxiety, Worry, and Uncertainty: A Scoping Review About Their Conceptualization and Measurement Within Breast Cancer Survivorship Research

Objective: Fear of Cancer Recurrence (FCR), Health Anxiety (HA), worry, and uncertainty in illness are psychological concerns commonly faced by cancer patients. In survivorship research, these similar, yet different constructs are frequently used interchangeably and multiple instruments are used in to measure them. The lack of clear and consistent conceptualization and measurement can lead to diverse or contradictory interpretations. The purpose of this scoping review was to review, compare, and analyze the current conceptualization and measurements used for FCR, HA, worry, and uncertainty in the breast cancer survivorship literature to improve research and practice.Inclusion Criteria: We considered quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies of breast cancer survivors that examined FCR, HA, worry, or uncertainty in illness as a main topic and included a definition or assessment of the constructs.Methods and Analysis: The six-staged framework was used to guide the scoping review process. Searches of PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases were conducted. The principle-based qualitative analysis and simultaneous content analysis procedures were employed to synthesize and map the findings.Findings: After duplicate removal, the search revealed 3,299 articles, of which 82 studies met the inclusion criteria. Several critical attributes overlapped the four constructs, for example, all were triggered by internal somatic and external cues. However, several unique attributes were found (e.g., a sense of loss of security in the body is observed only among survivors experiencing FCR). Overall, findings showed that FCR and uncertainty in illness are more likely to be triggered by cancer-specific factors, while worry and HA have more trait-like in terms of characteristics, theoretical features, and correlates. We found that the measures used to assess each construct were on par with their intended constructs. Eighteen approaches were used to measure FCR, 15 for HA, 8 for worry, and 4 for uncertainty.Conclusion: While consensus on the conceptualization and measurement of the four constructs has not yet been reached, this scoping review identifies key similarities and differences to aid in their selection and measurement. Considering the observed overlap between the four studied constructs, further research delineating the unique attributes for each construct is warranted.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of MUIS-C Scale Among Baby Boomers With Hepatitis C

Background and PurposeThe purpose of this study was to evaluate Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale—Community (MUIS-C), used to gauge level of uncertainty among baby boomers with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, as a reliable two-factor instrument.MethodsA CFA was conducted to test MUIS-C. There were minor deviations from normality. Subsequently, 130 participants were used to examine the factor structure and the model fit. A robust maximum likelihood (ML) estimation using the Wishart distribution was implemented in R version 3.3.1.ResultsA very good model fit was obtained (𝜒2(101) = 118.32, p = .115, TLI = 0.977, CFI = 0.983, RMSEA = 0.036, 90%CI(0.000, 0.061), and SRMR = 0.057). All indicators showed significant positive factor loadings, with standardized coefficients ranging from 0.511 to 0.868.ConclusionsThe MUIS-C was a reliable two-factor instrument and suitable for use as such in baby boomer population with HCV.

Coping Styles and Stroke Knowledge Mediate the Effect of Social Support and Uncertainty Among Stroke Patients

Objectives:This study aimed to investigate the mediating roles of coping styles and stroke knowledge between social support and uncertainty in illness among patients with primary stroke in China. Methods:The total of 204 Chinese primary stroke patients recruited using convenience sampling were asked to answer Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale for Adult(MUIS-A), Stroke Knowledge Questionnaire(SKQ), Social Support Rating Scale(SSRS), and Medical Coping Modes Questionnaires (MCMQ). Demographics characteristics of the patients were presented using descriptive statistics. We reported the relationship between the study variables using Pearson’s Correlation Coefficients. We performed structural equation modeling to estimate the mediator effect of coping styles and stroke knowledge between social support and uncertainty in illness.Results: The results showed that 92% of patients with primary stroke had moderate above level of uncertainty in illness, with a mean score 75.04 (SD=9.61).Uncertainty was positively associated with coping styles (r=0.232, P＜0.01), and negatively associated with social support(r=-0.237, P＜0.01) and stroke knowledge (r=-0.386, P＜0.01).The structural equation model indicated that the coping styles(19.8% of total effect) and stroke knowledge (38.5% of total effect)respectively acted as mediator role between social support and uncertainty in illness.Conclusions:Most patients with primary stroke present moderate above level of uncertainty in illness. stroke knowledge and coping styles were important mediating factors in the pathway between coping styles and uncertainty in illness. Our findings suggest the provision of stroke knowledge and training of coping styles for patients with primary stroke could alleviate their uncertainty in illness.

Illness Uncertainty in Patients Awaiting Liver Transplant

Illness uncertainty is prevalent in patients awaiting liver transplant. We described high levels of illness uncertainty in these patients and examined relationships between uncertainty and person factors and the antecedents of uncertainty. Mishel uncertainty in illness scale was used to measure illness uncertainty. We used modes and interquartile range (IQR) to describe illness uncertainty levels in 115 patients. Multiple logistic and linear regression models estimated the associations of uncertainty with hypothesized antecedents. High total illness uncertainty score was reported by 15.6% of the patients. After adjusting for all variables, illness uncertainty was associated with two antecedents of uncertainty, low social well-being (OR = 0.816; p = .025) and low self-efficacy (OR = 0.931; p = .013). Complexity was negatively associated with social well-being; ambiguity and inconsistency were negatively associated with self-efficacy. One in seven patients experienced high illness uncertainty. Social well-being and self-efficacy were negatively related to illness uncertainty.