PREOPERATIVE ANXIETY LEVELS IN ELECTIVE SURGERY PATIENTS AT PROF DR. I.G.N.G. NGOERAH CENTRAL GENERAL HOSPITAL

Abstract

Introduction: Preoperative anxiety is a common issue experienced by patients scheduled to undergo surgery. This anxiety can affect the patient’s condition before surgery and the outcomes of the surgical procedure. This study aims to describe the levels of preoperative anxiety in elective surgery patients at Prof. Dr. I.G.N.G. Ngoerah Central General Hospital.

Method: This study employs a descriptive observational study with a cross-sectional design. Primary data were collected using the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS) to measure patient anxiety levels. Data was collected from February to March 2024 at Prof. Dr. I.G.N.G. Ngoerah Central General Hospital, utilizing a consecutive sampling technique. 

Result: A total of 103 samples were collected and analyzed. The results indicated that 15% of preoperative patients did not experience anxiety, 41.7% experienced mild anxiety, 23.3% experienced moderate anxiety, 17.5% experienced severe anxiety, and 1.9% experienced very severe anxiety or panic.

Discussion: Previous studies have found that preoperative patients’ anxiety levels vary from mild to moderate to severe. Variations in the instruments used, differences in the populations studied, and the large sample size could have affected the results of the anxiety levels study.

Conclusion: Overall, the study concludes that patients undergoing elective surgery predominantly experience mild preoperative anxiety, regardless of factors such as age, gender, ethnic group, education level, economic status, type of anesthesia, type of surgery, and surgical history.