Does surgery cause anxiety, stress and fear in geriatric patients?

Abstract

BackgroundBecause of physiological changes in geriatric patients, their surgical process differs from that of young adults. In this regard, the perioperative period is an extremely risky time for geriatric patients. The present study examined preoperative fear, anxiety, and perceived stress levels as well as the factors affecting them in elderly patients prior to surgical intervention.MethodsThis study adopted a cross‐sectional descriptive design. The study sample consisted of geriatric patients (n = 407) scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a research and training hospital in northeast Turkey. Data were collected by the researchers using the personal information form, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS‐10), Surgical Fear Questionnaire (SFQ) and Anxiety Specific to Surgery Questionnaire (ASSQ). In the data analysis, descriptive statistics, the t‐test in independent groups, one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation analysis and Bonferroni tests for post hoc analyses were used.ResultsOn the PSS–10, the mean score was higher for the 75‐and‐older age group, single patients, patients with a disease requiring medication, and those who had previously undergone surgery (P < 0.05). On the ASSQ, the mean score was lower for patients aged 65–69, university graduates, patients without children, and those without a disease requiring medication (P < 0.05). On the SFQ, the mean score was higher for the 75‐and‐older age group, primary school graduates, and single patients (P < 0.05).ConclusionIt was determined that being single, having a chronic disability, and advancing age had an effect on the patients' surgery‐specific anxiety, perceived stress, and fear of surgery. Long‐standing chronic diseases can negatively affect both stress and anxiety levels of individuals.

The relationship between spiritual well‐being and surgical fear in elderly patients with gonarthrosis

“…In support of this idea, a study reported that patients with social support had significantly lower preoperative anxiety levels compared to those without social support. 26 Karabulut et al 16 also reported that the level of surgical fear in geriatric surgical patients who were married was lower than in those who were single. Additionally, Tesfaw et al 27 mentioned that preoperative anxiety levels were twice as high in single individuals compared to married ones.…”

“…25,26 The reason for these differences in studies may be due to the 75 and above undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy, while they were low in patients aged 65-69. 16 In the study by Kapıkıran and colleagues, it was determined that the highest level of surgical fear in patients undergoing abdominal surgery was observed in individuals aged 65 and above. 22 In this study, the long-term fear level of elderly patients who were married was statistically significantly lower (P < 0.05).…”

“…Recognising the mental well-being derived from spiritual well-being as part of psychological preparation by nurses will positively impact the surgical process. 16 Nurses' early interventions during the preoperative period are crucial for addressing causes; they aim to minimise the patient's preoperative fear, reduce potential issues arising from postoperative anxiety, and enhance patient compliance by actively involving them in the process. Literature indicates that patients perceive nurses as valuable sources of spiritual knowledge.…”

Measures of preoperative anxiety: Part two

“…A preliminary study conducted among 65 patients awaiting cardiac surgery provided promising results regarding the reliability of the scale (Cronbach's a coefficient for the full scale was 0.93, for short-term aspects of surgery was 0.91, and for long-term surgery aspects was 0.90). The SFQ questionnaire has been used in studies conducted in the Netherlands [28,29], Greece [34], Portugal [35,36], Turkey [21,23,33,[37][38][39][40][41][42][43], Croatia [44], Norway [45], Germany [31], Italy [46], Czech Republic [30], China [32], United States [47,48], Ireland [49], and Hungary [50][51][52]. Most of these publications appeared in the years 2022-2023.…”

Assessing the validity and reliability of the 10-item Persian version of the perceived stress scale in post-surgery patients

“…The fear of the unknown, loss of control, and potential risk of harm all contribute to this anxiety-inducing situation (3,4). Several studies demonstrated that physical stress, psychological stress, stress due to hospitalization, self-care stress, and spiritual stress are the main sources of stress experienced by patients who are candidates for various surgery that result in enhancing the risk of complications, morbidity, and mortality (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11). A situation is stressful when it is perceived by a person as threatening and uncontrollable and that person does not have the necessary resources to face the situation (12).…”