Abstract / Summary
Abstract Objective: To examine whether receipt of Information–Motivation–Behavioral Skills (IMB) model–based nursing care was associated with kinesiophobia and postoperative recovery among patients following radical esophagectomy.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study reviewed existing clinical and nursing records of 90 patients who underwent radical esophagectomy in the thoracic surgery department of our hospital between January 2024 and October 2025. Patients were classified according to the postoperative nursing care documented in their records: an IMB-care cohort (n = 45) and a routine-care cohort (n = 45). Care was not assigned by the investigators for research purposes. Outcomes extracted from the records included Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK) scores at 24 h postoperatively and at discharge, time to first flatus, drainage tube retention time, length of hospital stay, and nursing satisfaction.
Results: At discharge, the IMB-care cohort had a significantly lower mean TSK score than the routine-care cohort (37.89 ± 5.23 vs. 42.29 ± 6.64, P < 0.05). The IMB-care cohort also had shorter time to first flatus (3.12 ± 0.41 h vs. 5.08 ± 0.48 h), drainage tube retention time (67.04 ± 3.06 h vs. 98.46 ± 12.81 h), and hospital stay (9.03 ± 0.92 d vs. 12.27 ± 1.38 d) (all P < 0.05). Satisfaction scores for admission reception, health education, and rehabilitation guidance were higher in the IMB-care cohort (all P < 0.05), whereas service attitude and nursing skills did not differ significantly between cohorts (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: Receipt of IMB model–based nursing care was associated with lower kinesiophobia, shorter postoperative recovery indicators, and higher satisfaction in selected nursing domains. Because this was a retrospective observational study, the findings do not establish a causal effect and should be confirmed in prospective studies.