The effects of sociodemographic parameters on anxiety in patients who are planned surgery under general anesthesia

Abstract

Objective: Anxiety frequently accompanies the diseases that require surgery. Especially, since serious levels of anxiety affect adversely the surgery, anesthesia and postoperative recovery, it is important to identify the sensitive individuals. With this purpose, we've investigated the importance of the effects of sociodemographic backgrounds of the patients on the development of anxiety. Methods: A hundred patients that had general anesthesia during July - October 2018 period were included in this investigation. Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) scores and anxiety levels of these patients have been measured before the surgery, during discharge and one month after the surgery. The sociodemographic parameters like age, marital status, sex, economic conditions, education and profession have been recorded. Results: Before surgery, anxiety was identified in 81%of the patients where anxiety levels of 20% of them were at serious levels. Also, at baseline aver age BAI score was 15.9±8.9, which dropped to 10.6±7.1 during discharge and to 6.1±3.8 at the first month after operation. Anxiety was more frequently seen among women, especially in housewives, retired and low-incomed people. Anxiety levels of university graduates were lower when compared to other education levels (p<0.05). Conclusion: We have detected that the age and marital status of the patients are not related to anxiety and the anxiety levels are highest among women, especially in housewives with no other occupation and the retired people. On the contrary, lower levels of anxiety were seen in university graduates, people with high income levels students and civil servants. We believe that the reason behind is that as the education level of a person increases, they can be more comfortably informed and they will have less reservations.