Investigation of the Impact of Pre-operative Anxiety Levels on Post-operative Sleep Quality in Surgical Patients

Abstract

BAU Health and Innovation-Available online at www.bauhealth.org OPEN ACCESS This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. S urgical procedures are intricate interventions that can induce both physical and psychological stress in patients. Factors such as anticipated pain, fear of anesthesia-related complications, concerns about loss of work capacity, and prolonged fasting contribute to pre-operative anxiety. [1-3] Research by Ruis et al. (2017) [4] indicated that surgical patients commonly experience pre-operative anxiety associated with surgery and anesthesia, whereas Abate et al. (2020) [5] reported that patients who fear complications exhibit pre-operative anxiety levels approximately 4 times higher than those without such fears. High levels of pre-operative anxiety have negative consequences, such as an increased need for analgesia due to increased pain and deterioration in sleep quality. These outcomes are closely related to post-operative sleep disturbance. [6-8] Ayik and Özden (2018) [9] underlined the effectiveness of effective complementary interventions, such as aromatherapy massage, in reducing post-operative problems of pre-operative anxiety. Other studies in the literature have also highlighted that pre-operative anxiety exacerbates sleep disturbances. These findings highlight the importance of addressing pre-operative anxiety to manage surgical Objectives: This study aims to investigate the impact of pre-operative anxiety levels on sleep quality in patients undergoing surgical procedures. Methods: The study was conducted between July 01 and August 31, 2023, at an Istanbul training and research hospital. A total of 220 patients aged 18 years and older, who stayed in the hospital for at least 24 h post-surgery and did not use sleep medications, were included. Anxiety levels were assessed using the Amsterdam Pre-operative Anxiety and Information Scale, while sleep quality was evaluated using the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 25.0 software. Results: Among the participants, 50.5% were female, 65.9% were married, 51.8% were employed, and the mean age was 45±10.5 years. The average pre-operative anxiety level was 30.1±17.8, and the average sleep quality score was 15.2±4.16. Correlation analysis demonstrated a strong negative correlation between anxiety and sleep quality (p=-0.875, p<0.001). Furthermore, employment status and age were found to significantly affect both anxiety levels and sleep quality. Conclusion: Pre-operative anxiety has a negative impact on sleep quality in patients. Addressing anxiety may contribute to an expedited recovery process post-surgery.