Abstract :
Although surgical procedures have improved, preoperative anxiety remains a concern in preoperative treatment and visit which is recognized as a common reaction among patients awaiting surgery. To assess the prevalence and determinants of preoperative anxiety among adult surgical patients using APAIS questionnaire. A cross sectional study that included 400 adult healthy respondents who were attended the selected clinics for any complain and selected randomly to participate in this study. Two different types of questionnaires had been applied to all attendants to collect needed information. The first questionnaire included questions to gather information on certain socio – demographic variables and the second questionnaire applied was the validated Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS). Preoperative anxiety was detected in 31.5%; while 61% had intermediate level of information. Four factors were found to be significant independent risk factors for greater likelihood of preoperative anxiety. These factors were young age (OR= 6.54), female gender (OR= 10.43), higher education (OR= 14.53), and negative history of previous surgery (OR= 2.76). Prevalence of preoperative anxiety was not high in this study. Factors that increase this prevalence were younger age, female gender, higher educational level, and lack of previous surgical experience.
