Investigation of the relationship between health literacy and surgical fear in patients hospitalized in surgery clinic

Aim: The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between health literacy level and surgical fear in patients hospitalized in a general surgery clinic. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in the general surgery clinic of Diyarbakır Bismil State Hospital between December 2023 and May 2024. The study sample consisted of 125 patients hospitalized in the general surgery clinic. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, the Health Literacy Scale (HLS), and the Surgical Fear Questionnaire (SFQ). Results: The mean HLS total score was 100.49 ± 15.1, while the mean SFQ total score was 27.94 ± 15.8. The study revealed no statistically significant correlation between the mean HLS total score and the mean SFQ total score (r = 0.025; p > 0.005). However, a notable discrepancy was observed between the mean HLS total score and marital status (t = 2.706; p = 0.008) and place of residence (KW = 9.030; p = 0.011). The results indicated a notable discrepancy between the mean HLS total score and the presence of a companion (t=-2.119; p=0.036) and the overall health assessment status (t=2.430; p=0.017). Conclusion: The study revealed that variables such as marital status, place of residence, presence of a companion, and health assessment status influence the level of health literacy in patients hospitalized in the general surgery clinic. However, no significant relationship was identified between HLS and SFQ. Consequently, further research on the relationship between health literacy and surgical fear may be recommended. Keywords: Surgery, Patient, Health Literacy, Surgical Fear