Abstract

Objective: Pre-operative fear and anxiety at different levels is seen in many patients in the preoperative period. This research is intended to determine whether the prolonged pre-operative waiting periods in the premedication room affect the patients’ anxiety levels.

Material and Methods: After the ethics committee consent was obtained from the hospital where the study was conducted, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) FORM TX Pre-test form was completed to measure the situational anxiety of the patients, using face-to-face interviews at the first moments when the patient is taken into the room. While the patients were being taken to the operating room, the post-test survey form and a patient introductory information form were completed. Questionnaire Evaluation: Scores on the STAI FORM TX pre-test and post-test can range between 20 and 80 theoretically. High scores refer high levels of anxiety, and low scores refer low levels of anxiety. The average level of anxiety determined in applications varies between 36 and 41.

Results: This study included 250 patients (110 female and 140 male) with a median age of 43.1±15.7. The pre-operative STAI pre-test score average of the patients was 40.8±5.1, while their post-test score average was 40.9±4.9. There was no statistically significant difference between the anxiety level scores of the STAI FORM TX pre-test and post-test (p=0.868). When the relationship between the age groups and STAI FORM TX (pre-test) differences were examined, the median anxiety scores of the younger age group (15–30 years) were found to be significantly lower (p=0.004) than that of the middle age group (46–60 years). The STAI FORM TX pre-test score averages of the university graduates were found to be statistically significantly lower (p=0.006) than those of the patients who were only literate, when the STAI FORM TX pre-test averages of the individuals in the sample group were compared according to the educational status. The STAI FORM TX pre-test (p=0.001) and post-test (p=0.033) anxiety scores of the single participants were found to be statistically significantly lower than those of the married participants, when the mean scores of anxiety levels according to the marital status of the patients were examined. It was also found that STAI FORM TX pre-test score averages of the patients who responded to the question, “How did you find the premedication room?” with the answer, “Good,” were higher than that of the patients responding to it with the answer, “Boring” (p=0.005). When the patients were asked about factors that could reduce their stress, 42.4% replied “being accompanied by a relative,” 28% replied “watching tv,” and 20.8% replied “listening to music.”

Conclusion: All patients who were hospitalized for surgery were found to have anxiety and distress according to STAI FORM TX pre-test and post-test averages. However, the patients’ prolonged waiting periods in the premedication room did significantly change their anxiety levels. The higher the patients’ levels of education were, the less anxiety they experienced. This suggests that higher education leads to a better understanding and interpretation of information about their disease, which positively affects the feelings of educated patients. The married patients’ levels of anxiety may have been higher than those of the single patients due to feelings of responsibility as parents. In order to reduce the patients’ anxiety, it is suggested that they may be accompanied by a relative or allowed to relax with TV or music broadcasts.

Key words: Anxiety, elective surgery, premedication, waiting period