Anxiety and Depression in Pre-Operative Patients in Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology: A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62497/irjcs.177Keywords:
Preoperative Care, Anxiety, Depression, Cardiac Surgical Procedures, Heart Disease, Disorder, Cardiovascular Disease, Psychological Stress, Adult, Risk FactorsAbstract
Background: Pre-operative patients frequently suffer from depression and anxiety, which can negatively influence their general health and potentially affect surgical outcomes. Symptoms of depression and anxiety are present in a considerable number of individuals prior to surgery. The prevalence rates vary depending on the type of surgery, patient characteristics, and underlying medical conditions.
Objective: The present study aimed to assess preoperative anxiety and depression among patients undergoing heart surgery at the Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology (FIC), Pakistan, and to identify patient-related factors associated with anxiety levels.
Methods: This study was conducted from June 2024 to March 2025 in the Microbiology Research Laboratory (MRL), Department of Pathology, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, and at the Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology. A representative sample of preoperative heart surgery patients was selected from the FIC preoperative evaluation clinics and wards. The sample size was calculated based on the expected prevalence of anxiety and depression and the desired level of accuracy, resulting in a sample of 100 patients. Standardized questionnaires were used to assess anxiety and depression, and their internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha.
Results: The distribution of subjects among the 55 adult patients analyzed was balanced. The questionnaires demonstrated strong internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.85 and 0.93. Significant differences were observed between patients with high trait anxiety and those with normal anxiety levels regarding situational anxiety scores (p < 0.05). Female sex was the only patient-related factor significantly associated with higher anxiety levels (p < 0.05). Further stratification revealed that younger women and females with prior experience of general anesthesia reported higher anxiety levels compared to their male counterparts.
Conclusion: The study identified several patient-related factors influencing preoperative anxiety and demonstrated findings consistent with the validated Korean versions of the anxiety assessment surveys. A notable sex-related difference in anxiety regarding future events was observed, which may be explained by a combination of biological and psychological factors. These findings highlight the importance of recognizing and addressing anxiety in preoperative cardiac surgery patients, particularly among female patients.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Adnan, Adnan Gill, Atta Ur Rehman, Muhammad Iqbal Khan Rahman, Nasir Anwar, Sayed Ali, Salman Khan (Author)
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