Syed Nurul Haque, Anjum Ara, Aftab Imtiaz, Munir Hamirani.
Validity of visual analogue scale in assessment of Anxiety: a comparative study in Anesthesia clinic.
Ann Abbasi Shaheed Hosp Karachi Med Dent Coll Jan ;9(2):571-4.

Objective: To compare the level of Pre-Operative anxiety in patients reporting 24 to 72 hours before Surgery in Government Hospital, with patients assessed 24 to 72 hours before Surgery in Private Hospital. Design: Comparative study. Place and Duration of Study (Setting): Out patient Anaesthesia clinic at Karachi Medical & Dental College, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Imam Clinic and General hospital North Nazimabad Karachi from January 2004 to October 2004. Material and Methods: Two groups of 20 patients each were studied who underwent Abdominal hysterectomy. Group-A patients were assessed in Pre-Anaesthesia out patient Clinic 24 to 72 hours before admission in Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (Government hospital) and Group-B had Pre-Anaesthesia assessment 24 to 72 hours before surgery in private sector hospital. The visual analogue scale of anxiety (VAS) was used to assess anxiety in patients participated in study and p-value was derived by using independent t-test: Results: The median anxiety score is 4(2-6) in Group A and 6(4-9) in Group-B. This anxiety score (VAS) is significantly lower Group-A when compared with Group-B (P< 0.01). Conclusion: We conclude that Pre-Anaesthetic assessment in Anesthesia clinic 24 to 72 hours before Surgery in Government Sector hospital reduces Pre-Operative anxiety more when compared with an Pre-Anaesthesia assessment in private sector hospital.

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