FREQUENCY OF ANXIETY IN PATIENTS REPORTING FOR PRE-ANAESTHESIA ASSESSMENT

Anxiety in Patients Reporting for Pre-Anaesthesia Assessment

Abstract

Objective: To study the frequeny of anxiety in patients who reported for pre-anaesthesia assessment pre-operatively in Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Malir Cantt and to establish any association of anxiety with demographic characteristics.

Study Design: A cross-sectional study Place and Duration of the Study: The study was performed in the Deptts of Psychiatry and Anaesthesiology, CMH, Malir Cantt, from October 2007 to March 2008. Patients and Method: One hundred consecutive patients who reported for pre-anaesthesia prior to planned surgeries were included in the study. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were setup. A questionnaire in Urdu language based on Beck Anxiety Inventory was filled up by each patient. Results were summed and statistically analyzed using SPSS 11.0. Result: A total of 100 patients took part in the study ranging from 18 years to 60 years of age. Twenty nine (29%) were males and 71 (71%) were females. Fifty five (55%) were up to 30 years of age and forty five (45%) above 30 years of age. Forty two percent had no anxiety while 58% had varying grades of anxiety; 35% had mild, 17% moderate and 6% had severe anxiety. The frequency of anxiety in males was 48% as compared to 62% in females (P>0.118). Moreover 40% of patients up to 30 years of age had anxiety as compared to 80% in patients above 30 years of age (P<0.001).

Conclusion: Anxiety was a common problem in patients who were assessed pre-operatively during pre-anaesthesia. Association of anxiety with gender was insignificant while there was a significant association of anxiety with different age groups.