Table 5 Synthesized finding 3: Patient expectations were influenced by various factors, including age, health condition and socioeconomic status

Patients undergoing spinal surgery

Characteristics that influenced expectations.

Younger and more disabled patients who were scheduled for cervical spine surgery expected complete improvement in more areas [18]. [U]

Multiple demographic, psychological, and clinical characteristics affect expectations of patients scheduled for lumbar spine surgery [19]. [U]

Level of optimism and expectations were not correlated in patients undergoing elective lumbar surgery [6]. [U]

Patients undergoing spinal surgery with better general health but poorer physical health reported higher expectations [29]. [U]

Patients receiving advanced cancer care

Patients with metastatic cancer with an older age, higher income, and lower rates of anxiety had more accurate expectations of cure from immunotherapy [31]. [U]

Patients with incurable lung cancer who have inaccurate beliefs about radiotherapy also have inaccurate beliefs about chemotherapy [32]. [U]

Especially patients with incurable lung cancer who were older, non-Caucasian, and who completed the survey by themselves (instead of by surrogates) were more likely to have inaccurate believes about radiotherapy [32]. [U]

Patients with bone metastases with more pain expected a greater magnitude of pain reduction after palliative radiotherapy [34]. [U]

Patients with lung cancer undergoing palliative chemotherapy and living in large towns and good economic status were more optimistic about the hope for cure, prolonging life and alleviation of symptoms [40]. [U]

Hope and knowledge direct patient expectations of palliative radiotherapy [42]. [U]

Especially non-Caucasian patients, patients with lung cancer, patients who received care outside an integrated health care network, and patients who reported higher scores for physician communication had more often inaccurate expectations [44]. [U]

Patients undergoing spinal surgery

Characteristics that were not related to expectations.

Functional health status was not related to expectations of surgery in patients undergoing spinal surgery [27]. [U]

Patients receiving advanced cancer care

Disease characteristics and complaints had no impact on perceptions of cure in patients with metastatic disease [33]. [U]

Patients receiving advanced cancer care

Family and expectations.

Caregivers wanted to maintain patients’ hope/expectations for cure after palliative radiotherapy [42]. [C]