Frequency of anxiety in patients reporting for pre-anaesthesia assessment

ABSTRACT

To study the frequency 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. A cross-sectional study. The study was performed in the Deptts of Psychiatry and Anaesthesiology, CMH, Malir Cantt, from October 2007 to March 2008. 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. 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]. 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