Effect of Preoperative Self-Efficacy Pain Education Program on Self- Efficacy to Report Pain, Pain Intensity, and Pain Interferences Among Patients Undergoing Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Abstract

Self-efficacy to report pain is an essential competency for patients who are undergoing oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS). This study was to evaluate the effect of a preoperative educational program on self-efficacy to report pain, pain intensity, and pain interferences among patients after oral and maxillofacial surgery. The quasi-experimental research design was conducted at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department in Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital. Sixty participants who met the inclusion criteria were assigned to the control group and the experimental group. The 30 participants of the control group received the usual care, whereas the 30 participants of the experimental group received the preoperative self- efficacy educational program based on Bandura’s self-efficacy theory on the day before surgery. The set of data collection instruments were (1) Demographic and Health Information Sheet, (2) Perceived Self-Efficacy to Report Pain Questionnaire, (3) Pain Intensity Scale, and (4) Pain Interferences Scale. The data were analyzed by paired t-test, independent t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test. After receiving the program, the self-efficacy to report pain of the experimental group was significantly higher than before (t = - 4.94, p < .001). Compared with the control group, the experimental group had a significantly higher score of self-efficacy to report pain (t = - 4.72, p < .000). At 24-hours after surgery, the average pain and right now pain of the experimental group were significantly lower than that of the control group (p < .001). However, there were no significantly differences in neither worst pain nor least pain between the two groups (p > .05). At 48-hours after surgery, the worst pain, least pain, average pain and right now pain of the experimental group were significantly lower than that of the control group (p< .001). Even though, the pain interferences at 24-hours after surgery of the experimental group showed no significant differences from that of the control group (p > .05), the pain interferences at 48-hours after surgery were significantly lower than that of the control group (p < .01). The findings showed that the preoperative self-efficacy pain educational program by applying the four sources of the self-efficacy concept had enhanced the self-efficacy of patients to report postoperative pain, which decreased postoperative pain intensity and pain interferences.