Evaluation of state and trait anxiety levels in patients waiting for endoscopic procedure during the COVID-19 period

Abstract

Objective: Association between the COVID-19 pandemic and mental well-being has been researched in several studies. State-Trait Anxiety Inventory is one of the most widely test used for measurement of anxiety. In this study, we aimed to determine the anxiety levels of patients waiting for gastrointestinal endoscopic procedure during the COVİD 19 pandemic
 Material and Methods: Patients above 18 years of both genders who were waiting for the gastroenterological endoscopic procedure included in the study. State-Trait Anxiety Inventory applied to the patient waiting in line for the procedure
 Results: A total of 150 patients were included in the study. During the pandemic, a greater proportion of women (36.9%) feared endoscopy than men (19.7%) (chi-square =0.016). The number of patients (94, 62.7%) reporting they feared visiting the hospital during pandemic (p<0.001, chi-square) had a significantly higher fear of undergoing endoscopy during the pandemic (87.5%, n=49). The median STAI-S score (39 [IQR 30.25 - 47]) was significantly lower in patients who had previously undergone endoscopy than in patients who had not (p=0.028). ). The mean STAI-T score of women (46.11+-7.62) was 5.08 (95% CI 2.67 - 7.48) higher than that of men (41.03+-7.09) (p<0.001, Student's t test).
 Conclusion: Mortality and morbidity experienced during the COVİD-19 period had devastating effects on the mental health of patients, but some groups were more affected by this situation. Therefore, identifying vulnerable groups, paying special attention to these groups, and providing more intense information will reduce potential concerns.