Background and aim Gallstone disease (GSD) is one of the most common causes of biliary tract disorders and represents a major surgical health problem worldwide. Gallstones affect approximately 10%–15% of the adult population in developed countries and are associated with considerable morbidity and healthcare burden. Despite the high frequency of cholecystectomy procedures, many patients lack adequate knowledge regarding the disease, postoperative care, and lifestyle modifications, which may negatively affect recovery and quality of life. This study aimed to assess the impact of a health education program on knowledge and quality of life among patients undergoing cholecystectomy in surgical wards at public teaching hospitals in Erbil City, Iraq. Method This quasi-experimental study was conducted from September 1st, 2024, to February 13th, 2025, across two major public teaching hospitals in Erbil City, Iraq, using a convenience sampling technique. Participants were allocated into an intervention group ( n = 100) and a control group ( n = 100) based on the hospital site to minimize cross-contamination of the intervention. Baseline sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, as well as standard surgical and discharge protocols, were systematically compared between the two hospital sites to assess comparability. Data were collected using three structured instruments: the patients' medical data form, a researcher-developed knowledge questionnaire constructed based on current clinical practice guidelines for cholecystectomy and validated through expert content review (CVI = 0.92) by a panel of five surgical and nursing experts, and the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI), along with a sociodemographic form. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 26.0. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, independent t-tests, paired t-tests, and logistic regression analysis were used to assess group differences and predictors of knowledge improvement. Results A total of 200 patients participated in the study. The findings showed significant improvements in the intervention group compared with the control group. Post-intervention knowledge scores increased significantly in the intervention group (28.09 ± 2.51) compared with the control group (14.15 ± 2.79) ( p .01). Similarly, the total gastrointestinal quality-of-life score improved markedly in the intervention group (119.15 ± 10.02) compared with the control group (79.05 ± 14.05) ( p .01). Logistic regression analysis indicated that participation in the educational program was the strongest predictor of knowledge improvement (AOR = 187.34, p .01). Conclusions The health education program significantly improved patients' knowledge and gastrointestinal quality of life following cholecystectomy. Implementing structured patient education programs in surgical wards may enhance postoperative recovery, promote self-care behaviors, and improve overall patient outcomes in public hospitals. Clinical Trial Registration : clinicaltrials.gov , identifier NCT07380776.
Sabir et al. (Tue,) studied this question.