[Preoperative questionnaire survey about anxiety of patients for scheduled operation]

Preoperative patients have various kinds of anxiety. However we do not know much about their psychological burden. Therefore, we investigated types of their anxiety with questionnaires prior to operation and analyzed them according to their anesthetic method, type of surgery and age. Concerning anesthetic methods, patients' anxiety varied depending on their histories of anesthesia, anesthetic method previously received and age. Concerning the type of surgery, patients scheduled to undergo abdominal and cardiac surgery had more intense anxiety. Patients scheduled for gynecological surgery were anxious about the accident which might be induced by anesthesia. A large number of patients scheduled for orthopedic surgery were anxious about postoperative pain. Concerning patients' age, patients whose ages ranged from 10s to 50s were anxious about pain. While, in patients over 60s, their anxiety was focussed on giving trouble to their surrounding people. Patients whose age was 10 to 19 had anxiety about their anesthetic method. Anesthesiologists should recognize that preoperative patients have various kinds of anxiety. It is important for us to examine the patients appropriately according to their psychological and physical condition.