Pre-Procedural State Anxiety in Patients Scheduled for Colonoscopy

Background: Anxiety is a common issue among patients undergoing invasive medical procedures such as colonoscopy because of concerns regarding the procedure itself and its possible results. High levels of anxiety can negatively affect patient readiness and cooperation during the examination, thereby influencing the quality and outcome of the procedure. Study objective: To assess the prevalence and severity of pre-procedural anxiety among patients scheduled for colonoscopy and examine the association between socio-demographic and clinical characteristics and anxiety levels. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was employed to collect data from patients undergoing colonoscopy. A validated and comprehensive questionnaire tailored for individuals scheduled for colonoscopy was used to assess pre-procedure anxiety. The study was conducted in the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Center of Al Diwaniya Teaching Hospital. Results: A total of 72 patients participated in the study. The findings revealed that 50% of the participants experienced moderate anxiety, 44.4% experienced severe anxiety, and 5.6% experienced mild anxiety. In Addition, body mass index was significantly associated with anxiety level at p-value <0.001. Conclusion: Moderate to severe levels of anxiety were observed among patients before the colonoscopy procedure. Anxiety levels were not significantly associated with most demographic or clinical variables. However, a significant association was identified between body mass index and anxiety levels, with higher anxiety observed among obese patients. Recommendations: Further studies with larger sample sizes and multicenter designs are recommended to confirm the current findings and to provide a better understanding of factors associated with anxiety among patients undergoing colonoscopy.