Prakash Avinash, Baghel Jyoti, Raipure Amrusha M, Gondode Prakash G, Asai Omshubham G, Balasubramanian Bhuvaneswari, Yadav Anita
Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagpur, IND.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shri Ram Murti Smarak (SRMS) Institute of Medical Sciences, Bareilly, IND.
Cureus. 2024 Jul 26;16(7):e65466. doi: 10.7759/cureus.65466. eCollection 2024 Jul.
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced unprecedented challenges to global healthcare systems, including heightened psychological stress among patients. This study evaluates the preoperative anxiety levels among patients scheduled for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This cross-sectional observational study was conducted between April 2020 and March 2022. Adult patients aged 18-80 years, scheduled for elective or emergency surgery, were included. Exclusion criteria were mental illness, impaired communication, and hemodynamic instability. A pre-validated questionnaire addressing demographics, prior surgery exposure, surgery-related anxiety, and COVID-19-related fears was administered. Anxiety levels were scored on a 1-5 Likert scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 (IBM Corp., Armonk, USA). Results A total of 112 patients participated, with a mean age of 42.3±14.2 years. The majority were female (61 patients, 54.5%), married (96 patients, 85.7%), and resided in urban areas (85 patients, 75.9%). Most patients had no prior surgical history (87 patients, 77.7%). Surgery-related fears were prevalent, with 110 patients (98.2%) fearing surgical complications and 111 patients (99.1%) fearing postoperative pain. COVID-19-related fears were also significant, with 108 patients (96.4%) fearing infection during hospital stay and 100 patients (89.3%) fearing infecting family members. Mild fear was the most common anxiety level (70 patients, 62.95%), followed by moderate fear (25 patients, 22.5%). Discussion The study highlights the dual stressors of surgery and the pandemic, contributing to heightened preoperative anxiety. Findings indicate that significant anxiety levels were present, driven by fears related to surgery, anesthesia, and COVID-19. This aligns with other studies that report high preoperative anxiety levels exacerbated by the pandemic. The comprehensive assessment of anxiety factors underscores the need for tailored interventions to mitigate these anxieties. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased preoperative anxiety among surgical patients. Addressing both surgical and pandemic-related anxieties is crucial for improving patient outcomes. Healthcare providers should implement psychological support programs to alleviate these anxieties. Understanding the multifaceted nature of preoperative anxiety during the pandemic can enhance patient care.
新冠疫情给全球医疗系统带来了前所未有的挑战，包括患者心理压力增大。本研究评估了新冠疫情期间计划接受手术的患者术前焦虑水平。
本横断面观察性研究于2020年4月至2022年3月进行。纳入年龄在18 - 80岁、计划接受择期或急诊手术的成年患者。排除标准为精神疾病、沟通障碍和血流动力学不稳定。采用一份经过预验证的问卷，内容涉及人口统计学、既往手术经历、与手术相关的焦虑以及与新冠疫情相关的恐惧。焦虑水平采用1 - 5李克特量表评分。数据使用SPSS 22版（美国国际商业机器公司，阿蒙克）进行分析。
共有112名患者参与，平均年龄为42.3±14.2岁。大多数为女性（61例，54.5%），已婚（96例，85.7%），居住在城市地区（85例，75.9%）。大多数患者无既往手术史（87例，77.7%）。与手术相关的恐惧普遍存在，110例患者（98.2%）担心手术并发症，111例患者（99.1%）担心术后疼痛。与新冠疫情相关的恐惧也很显著，108例患者（96.4%）担心住院期间感染，100例患者（89.3%）担心感染家庭成员。轻度恐惧是最常见的焦虑水平（70例，62.95%），其次是中度恐惧（25例，22.5%）。
该研究突出了手术和疫情这两个双重压力源，导致术前焦虑加剧。研究结果表明，由于与手术、麻醉和新冠疫情相关的恐惧，存在显著的焦虑水平。这与其他报告疫情加剧术前高焦虑水平的研究一致。对焦虑因素的综合评估强调了需要采取针对性干预措施来减轻这些焦虑。
新冠疫情显著增加了手术患者的术前焦虑。解决与手术和疫情相关的焦虑对于改善患者预后至关重要。医疗服务提供者应实施心理支持项目以减轻这些焦虑。了解疫情期间术前焦虑的多方面性质可以提高患者护理水平。
