OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of fear
and anxiety in patients awaiting coronary artery bypass grafting and the f
actors associated with high fear and high anxiety.
DESIGN: The survery included 240 patients placed on the waiting list for co
ronary artery bypass grafting at one hospital.
SUBJECTS: Two hundred and seven patients completed the questionnaire.
INSTRUMENTS: The Bypass Grafting Fear Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Invent
ory, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used.
RESULTS: Half of the patients experienced low fear and anxiety. Twenty-five
percent had high fear, but only 5% had high anxiety. Patients who felt hig
h fear were mainly women, had no vocational education, were on sick leave,
were depressed, had a tendency towards anxiety, and had a short wait for op
eration. Patients who displayed medium or high anxiety were mostly under 55
years of age and had depression, but only low or no pain.
CONCLUSIONS: The results facilitate better identification of predictors of
high fear and anxiety as well as direct support and information for those p
atients.