Serdar SEVER, Zehra ÜZEL, Esra AYDEMİR, Cavidan DUYĞUN
Medical Records - 2026;8(1):1792950-1792950
Aim: This study aimed to examine the relationship between illness perceptions and surgery-specific anxiety in patients scheduled for open-heart surgery and to identify the key predictors of surgery-specific anxiety. Material and Methods: A descriptive and correlational design was employed. The study was conducted between January and September 2025. A total of 120 patients scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or heart valve surgery were included using convenience sampling. Data were collected via a personal information form, Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ), and Anxiety Specific to Surgery Questionnaire (ASSQ). Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and multiple linear regression analyses were employed. Results: The mean age of participants was found to be 62.3+/-10.4, and 67.5% were male. The mean ASSQ score was 29.4+/-5.9, indicating moderate-to-high surgery-specific anxiety. The multivariate analysis found that emotional representations (beta=0.60, p<0.001) were the strongest positive predictor of anxiety, whereas treatment control (beta=-0.95, p<0.001) significantly reduced anxiety levels. Gender (male: beta=-1.92, p=0.029) and marital status (single: beta=-2.54, p=0.049) were also associated with lower anxiety. The final model explained 49.7% of the variance in surgery-specific anxiety (R²=0.497). Conclusion: Illness perceptions, particularly emotional distress and treatment control beliefs are key determinants of surgery-specific anxiety in patients awaiting open-heart surgery. These findings emphasize the need for preoperative psychological assessment and targeted interventions that reduce illness-related emotional burden and strengthen patients' sense of control. Integrating such strategies into routine preoperative care may help alleviate anxiety and improve recovery outcomes.
