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Abstract
Background: Anxiety is defined as a futureoriented mood state during which one is prepared to
attempt to address approaching negative events.
Stress in patients planning surgery in important as it
can influence their decision to seek or delay medical
care. The aim of the study was to determine the
prevalence and factors causing anxiety in
preoperative period in patients undergoing major
elective surgery procedures.
Materials and Methods: This multi-centered
cross-sectional study was carried out Rawalpindi
medical university allied hospitals from January
2018 to June 2018. We selected 363 patients of
elective hernia repair surgery and thyroid surgery for
the study. Structured Performa was used to obtain
demographic data and factors contributing to
anxiety. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to
measure anxiety and a score of ≥45 was considered as
high anxiety. Data was entered and analyzed using
the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS)
software, version 22.Two sided Chi square test was
used to determine the statistical significance
between anxiety and gender
Results: 228 (62.8 %) patients had preoperative
anxiety score > 45. There was significant correlation
(x2=0.005) between female gender and preoperative
anxiety. Among the common reasons for
preoperative anxiety in respondents were the fear of
surgery being postponed 240 (69.9%), Nakedness on
operating table 207 (57.7%) Not waking up from
surgery 194 (54%), Inability to pay hospital bills 193
(53.8%).
Conclusion: Patients in our setting experience
significantly high levels of preoperative anxiety.