Investigating the Effect of Nursing Counseling on Health-related Anxiety and its Relationship with Trust in Nursing Services in Outpatients Referring to Health Services

We are witnessing a marked increase in demand for outpatient services. Patients experience health-related anxiety, which exerts destructive effects on the treatment. The control and management of this anxiety create confidence in health services. The present study aimed to determine the effect of nursing counseling on health anxiety and its relationship with trust in nursing services in the outpatient department.

In this quasi-experimental study conducted in 2021, 60 participants were randomly selected from the outpatient department of a clinic and assigned to two groups: intervention and control. Data collection tools were a demographic information questionnaire, Alkovskis and Warwick Health Anxiety, and Trust in Nurses Scale (TNS) (Radwin and Cabral, 2010). The participants answered demographic and health anxiety questionnaires. After the visit, the intervention group received nursing counseling, while the control group only received routine training. One week later, the participants answered the health anxiety questionnaire and trust in nurses scale again. Data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 18) using descriptive and inferential statistical tests.

The mean of health anxiety before the consulting was not significantly different between the two groups (P=0.20); nonetheless, after the consulting, the intervention group obtained a lower mean score compared to the control group (P>0.001). There was a significant difference between this mean before and after consulting in the intervention group (P>0.001). There was a significant positive relationship between receiving nursing counseling and confidence in nursing services (P>0.001) (C.V=-0.145).

As evidenced by the results of this study, the provision of nursing consultation reduces patients' health anxiety and increases confidence in nursing services. It is suggested to pay attention to this role of nurses in outpatient departments.