Chonnam Med J.  1996 Dec;32(2):301-312.

The Effect of Preoperative Education on Preoperative Anxiety in the Patients Undergoing Lower Extremity Surgery

• Chai LS
• Park OJ

Abstract

We examined the effect of preoperative education on preoperative anxiety in the patients undergoing lower extremity surgery. Data were gathered from November 14, 1991 to February 20, 1992 through interviews by using questionnaire which was developed by the author. Subjects were consisted of 115 people. Of them, control group was 58 and experimental group was 57. Analysis of data was done by frequency, x2, t-test and ANOVA. The results may be summarized as follows: 1. The subjects were consisted of men (68.4%) and women (31.6%), had high incidence in fourth and fifth decade of age (22.6% each). Their occupation was business or industrial worker in 23.5%, laborer or farmer in 22.6%, more than half of them (59.1%) had previous operation. 2. The mean score of preoperative anxiety in the patients undergoing surgery on lower extremity was 69.88. 3. State of preoperative anxiety showed no significant difference between two groups before and after education. So the hypothesis that the preoperative education would be effective in reducing the preoperative anxiety in the patient undergoing the lower extremity operation was rejected. 4. Pulse rate and blood pressure showed significant difference between those before and after entrance into the OR of the patients. Rising of systolic pressure was significant (t=3.01, p<.005) while that of diastolic pressure showed little difference. Increasing of pulse rate after entrance into the OR was also significant (t=-5.2, p<.001). 5. The items which showed high score of preoperative anxiety were postoperative pain or discomfort (3.47), possibly of operative mistake (3.03), restriction of behavior (3.01), possibly of reoperation (2.91), possibly of long hospitalization (2.90).

MeSH Terms

Anxiety*
Blood Pressure
Commerce
Education*
Female
Heart Rate
Hospitalization
Humans
Incidence
Lower Extremity*
Male
Occupations
Pain, Postoperative
Reoperation
Surveys and Questionnaires