The relationship between illness uncertainty and preoperative anxiety in surgical patients: the moderating role of mental health literacy
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objective Preoperative anxiety is a common and clinically significant psychological condition among surgical patients, and illness uncertainty is considered an important psychological stressor for preoperative anxiety. Mental health literacy is an intervenable psychological resource, and its role in preoperative anxiety remains underexplored. This study aims to investigate the relationship between illness uncertainty and preoperative anxiety in surgical patients and further examine the moderating role of mental health literacy in this relationship. Methods A cross-sectional study design was adopted. From August to October 2025, 342 surgical patients were conveniently sampled from a tertiary hospital in central China. The Mishel Illness Uncertainty Scale (MUIS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory–State subscale (STAI-S), and the Short Version of the Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire for Adults (MHLq-SVa) were used for assessment. Descriptive statistics, univariate analysis, and Pearson correlation analysis were conducted. Multivariate linear regression and moderation analysis were used to test the potential moderating effects of mental health literacy in the relationship between illness uncertainty and preoperative anxiety. Results Illness uncertainty was significantly positively correlated with preoperative anxiety ( r = 0.411), and mental health literacy was significantly negatively correlated with preoperative anxiety ( r = −0.417) and illness uncertainty ( r = −0.386), all with P < 0.001. Moderation analysis showed that mental health literacy significantly moderated the relationship between illness uncertainty and preoperative anxiety ( P for interaction < 0.001). Among patients with lower mental health literacy (Mean-SD), the association between illness uncertainty and preoperative anxiety was stronger, while among those with higher mental health literacy (Mean + SD), this association significantly attenuated. Conclusion Mental health literacy plays a moderating role in the relationship between illness uncertainty and preoperative anxiety in surgical patients. Higher levels of mental health literacy are associated with a weaker association between illness uncertainty and preoperative anxiety, while lower levels are associated with a stronger association.
Source: Frontiers in Psychology
Institution: Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W7155556387