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. 2021 Nov 18;11(11):1221.
doi: 10.3390/jpm11111221.

Coping, Anxiety, and Pain Intensity in Patients Requiring Thoracic Surgery

Elisei Moise Hasan  1   2 , Crenguta Livia Calma  3 , Anca Tudor  4 , Cristian Oancea  5 , Voicu Tudorache  5 , Ioan Adrian Petrache  1   6 , Emanuela Tudorache  5 , Ion Papava  7
Affiliations

Coping, Anxiety, and Pain Intensity in Patients Requiring Thoracic Surgery

Elisei Moise Hasan et al. J Pers Med. .

Abstract

Stress, anxiety, and post-surgical chest pain are common problems among patients with thoracic surgical pathology. The way in which psychological distress is managed-the coping style-can influence the postsurgical evolution and quality of life of patients. In our study, we monitored the influence of coping style on patients' anxiety and the intensity of post-operative chest pain. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 90 subjects with thoracic surgical pathology. One month after their surgeries, patients completed the following scales and questionnaires, translated, adapted, and validated for the Romanian population: COPE scale inventory, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Questionnaire, McGill Pain Questionnaire, and Numeric Pain Rating Scale. Anxiety (evaluated using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Questionnaire) and postoperative thoracic pain intensity (evaluated by means of the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, Number of Words Chosen, and McGill Pain Questionnaire) were significantly higher in patients exhibiting social-focused coping than in patients presenting emotion-focused or problem-focused coping as their main coping style (Kruskal-Wallis, p = 0.028, p = 0.022, p = 0.042, p = 0.007). In our study, there were no differences observed in pain intensity relative to level of anxiety. Coping style is an important concept in the management of anxiety and pain experienced by patients undergoing chest surgery. Therefore, a multidisciplinary approach should be considered in clinical practice.

Keywords: coping styles; distress; postoperative pain; quality of life; thoracic surgery.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of the patient enrollment process of study cohort.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Boxplot for GAD-7 scores, compared by predominant postoperative type of coping.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Boxplot for postoperative pain intensity measured with McGill Pain Questionnaire, compared by predominant postoperative type of coping.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Boxplot for postoperative pain scores (NPRS), compared by predominant postoperative type of coping.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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