Liyan Qiu, Mei Yang, Feng Su, Liping Ma, Yanying Wang, Bixue Chen, Zuqiong Ye, Longyan Wu
Heterogeneity in information overload was noted among day surgery patients, and was categorized into three distinct latent profiles. Identifying patients at greater risk and implementing targeted interventions to reduce information burden may improve information management abilities and support enhanced postoperative recovery.
BACKGROUND: Day surgery has become an increasingly important model of healthcare delivery and offers clear benefits to patients. However, because hospitalization, surgery, and discharge occur within a very short period, patients are required to absorb a large amount of medical information in a limited timeframe, making them particularly susceptible to information overload. Although this phenomenon has received growing attention, little remains known about the latent subgroups of information overload among patients undergoing day surgery. This study therefore aimed to identify latent profiles of information overload and examine their associated factors using latent profile analysis (LPA).
METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was performed between October and December 2024 among 347 hospitalized day surgery patients in China. Participants completed the Chinese versions of the Information Overload Scale, Information Self-Efficacy Scale, and Electronic Health Literacy Scale. LPA was used to classify patients according to their information overload patterns, and multinomial logistic regression was used to identify factors related to membership in different latent profiles.
RESULTS: Overall, patients experienced a moderate level of information overload. LPA identified three distinct subgroups: a low information overload group (n = 193, 55.6%), a moderate information overload group (n = 113, 32.6%), and a high information overload group (n = 41, 11.8%). Multivariable logistic regression demonstrated that age, education level, occupational category, and surgical specialty were independent predictors of latent profile membership (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Heterogeneity in information overload was noted among day surgery patients, and was categorized into three distinct latent profiles. Identifying patients at greater risk and implementing targeted interventions to reduce information burden may improve information management abilities and support enhanced postoperative recovery.