Atrial fibrillation: the impact of anxiety and depression on patients' needs

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, which is expected to expand enormously due to population ageing. The aim of the present study was to explore the significance of AF patients' needs and the associated factors as well as the impact of anxiety and depression on these needs. The sample of the study included 215 AF hospitalized patients. Data were collected by the completion of a questionnaire which, in addition to patients' characteristics, it also included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the questionnaire "Needs of hospitalized patients with coronary artery disease", that is evaluating the significance of the following 6 categories of needs: a) for support and guidance, b) for information from medical and nursing staff, c) for communication with other patients and family, d) for individualization of care and participation, e) to trust the medical and nursing staff and f) to meet emotional and physical needs. The statistical significance level was p< 0.05. Of the 215 participants, 68.4% were men and 67.5% were > 60 years old. Moreover, 47.5% of the participants experienced anxiety and 29.5% depression. The need for support, to be informed and to trust the medical and nursing staff considered to be of high significance by the patients (median 29,20 and 6, respectively). Anxiety and depression were significantly associated with all patients' needs (p<0.05) apart from the need to meet the emotional and physical needs and the need to trust the medical and nursing staff, which were not associated with anxiety levels. In terms of patients' needs, those who reported to be little or not at all informed about their disease considered of a higher significance the need for support and guidance (p=0.030), the need to be informed and to trus the medical and nursing staff (p=0.001 and p=0.012, respectively) and the need for communication with other patients and family (p=0.007). The need for individualization of care and participation in it, was considered more significant by patients aged >70 years and those having no children (p=0.039 and p=0.029, respectively) while the need for communication with other patients and family was considered more significant by women (p=0.028). The present findings emphasize the importance of providing care tailored to meet the needs of AF patients who experience anxiety and depression.