Effect of a mobile application–based preoperative preparation program on anxiety and self-care ability among cataract surgery patients

Abstract

Cataract is a major cause of visual impairment in the elderly, making preoperative preparation crucial for patient outcomes and self-care. This quasi-experimental study employed a two-group pre-test and post-test design to examine the effects of a mobile application-based preoperative preparation program on anxiety and self-care ability among cataract surgery patients. The sample consisted of 60 patients diagnosed with cataracts by physicians and scheduled for elective cataract surgery at Nakornping Hospital. Participants were divided into an experimental group (n=30) and a control group (n=30) using purposive sampling. The control group received standard hospital care, while the experimental group received the mobile application-based preoperative preparation program for two weeks. Data were collected using anxiety and self-care ability questionnaires with content validity indices of 1.0 and Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.87 and 0.92, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-test and independent t-test. The results revealed that the experimental group demonstrated significantly lower anxiety scores (p=0.007) and significantly higher self-care ability scores (p<0.001) compared to baseline. Furthermore, the experimental group exhibited significantly lower anxiety scores and higher self-care ability scores than the control group (p<0.001). Effect sizes ranged from medium to very large (Cohen's d=0.76–2.96), indicating strong practical significance. These findings demonstrate that the mobile application-based preoperative preparation program effectively reduces anxiety and enhances self-care ability among cataract surgery patients. Continuous implementation of this program in clinical practice is therefore recommended.