Examining the Relationship Between Health Perception and Preoperative Anxiety in Surgical Patients

Background: A variety of factors can affect anxiety about having surgery. The aim of this study was to determine the level of health perception and preoperative anxiety levels of surgical patients and to investigate the relationship between them. Methods: This descriptive and correlational study was conducted on 315 surgical patients in the preoperative period in the inner region of Turkey. The data were collected using the Descriptive Information Form , Health Perception Scale , and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory . Multiple regression analyses and structural equation modelling were used to evaluate the data. Results: The mean scores of the Perception of Health Scale and the State Anxiety Inventory were 43.78±6.52 and 41.10±10.89, respectively. There was a positive relationship between health perception and anxiety. Anxiety explained 1.8% of the health perception score, while age, educational status, income status, health status, hospitalization, history of surgery, and state anxiety scores explained 15% of the health perception score, according to the model created in the study. Conclusion: Understanding factors affecting preoperative anxiety may help identify patients at high risk of anxiety. Factors that cause anxiety should be investigated, and factors that increase the level of anxiety should be known. The effect of more factors should be investigated to explain preoperative anxiety. Understanding perioperative anxiety in the patient will help provide quality nursing care.