Preparation before surgery showed mixed results for quality of life and mood
A review of randomized trials found better postoperative quality of life and fewer depressive symptoms, while anxiety results remained inconclusive.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Across the included trials, prehabilitation programs improved reported quality of life after surgery and reduced depressive symptoms. The pooled result for anxiety was not statistically significant, so a reliable anxiety benefit was not demonstrated. The authors describe limited persistence over longer follow-up, leaving questions about how lasting the reported gains may be.
The abstract labels results as effect sizes without naming their measurement scales or describing control conditions. Those omissions make the magnitude difficult to interpret. Exact follow-up intervals and program content are also missing.
Different outcomes gave different answers
The review asked whether programs used before surgery affect quality of life, anxiety and depression. These outcomes were analyzed separately, and their results differed. The abstract provides insufficient program detail to identify a specific useful component.
Duration of benefit remains uncertain
The authors describe the clearest benefits at medium-term follow-up and minimal long-term effects, without defining those intervals. They rate the overall evidence as moderate and call for further trials examining program content and lasting outcomes.
The original publication
The Efficacy of Prehabilitation Programs in Improving the Quality of Life, Anxiety, and Depression of Individuals Undergoing Surgery: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Qu X, Guo Y, He G et al.
Psych J · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41645042
- Record checked
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