Need for Surgery-related Information and Preoperative Anxiety

Abstract

Background: People differ in need for surgery-related information. Knowing more information about upcoming event should make the situation less threatening and thus decrease anxiety. The primary objective of the study is to explore relationship between preoperative anxiety and need for surgery-related information. Methods: To assess surgery-related information need, self-report guestionnaire APAIS (The Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale) was administered to patients before surgery (n=138, M(age)=62, SD(age)=16). Patient´s anxiety was rated by nurse using the scale Anxiety level-12 at the same time. Findings: Analysis showed that patients who reported higher need for surgery-related information experienced significantly more anxiety, as measured by self-report measures and observed by nurse. Discussion: Results contribute to the evidence that people differ in the need to seek information in threatening situation and that information need is related to anxiety. More research is needed in studying preoperative anxiety interventions according to people with different information needs. Results also provide evidence for validity of Anxiety level-12 rating scale.