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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT07291466

Assessment of Preoperative Anxiety and Evaluation of Calming Interventions: Anonymous Patient Survey

The aim of this study is to better understand the anxiety of patients before elective surgeries and to investigate which measures for calming are perceived as helpful or pleasant. Adult, German-speaking patients (≥18 years) in the elective surgical setting at UKB are invited to participate. It is planned that at least 400 patients will take part in the survey. The survey is conducted anonymously, voluntarily, and without the collection of personal data. This is a purely observational study without any intervention.

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Key information

Conditions

Anxiety Anxiety Disorders Mental Disorders Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

University of Bonn

Bonn, 53127, Germany

About this study

Patients who come to the premedication outpatient clinic are invited in the waiting area to participate in this anonymous written survey. Participation is voluntary. The survey takes approximately 10-15 minutes. No personal data are collected.

Anxiety is assessed using the State-Trait Operation Anxiety (STOA) and the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS) questionnaires.

To address anxiety reduction, various possible measures are listed, and patients are asked to check all the options they consider helpful and appropriate. They are also given the opportunity to add further suggestions that are not included in the list.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Adults (≥18 years),
  • German-speaking patients
  • elective surgical setting

Exclusion criteria

  • emergency surgery
  • Patients with documented psychiatric disorders or confusion
  • Individuals admitted under a court or official mandate

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

  1. Record patients' stated preferences related to anxiety management.

    Time frame: baseline

    using multiple-choice and open-ended responses

Secondary outcomes

  1. Assess patients' preoperative anxiety

    Time frame: baseline

    Using the STOA questionnaire. The STOA evaluates anxiety on two levels: the long-term, personality-related tendency toward surgical anxiety (trait) and the current state of anxiety (state), with cognitive and affective components. The STOA-State scale includes 10 items rated on a 4-point scale from 0 ("Not at all") to 3 ("Very much"), yielding a total score of 0-30. The STOA-Trait scale includes 20 items rated from 0 ("Almost never") to 3 ("Almost always"), with a total score of 0-60.

  2. Assess patients' preoperative anxiety

    Time frame: baseline

    Using APAIS questionnaire. The APAIS is a validated, brief instrument with 20 items, assessing anxiety related to anesthesia and the surgical procedure. Anxiety scores range from 4 (no anxiety) to 20 (high anxiety), and the total score ranges from 6 to 30.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Vera Guttenthaler

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Erhebung Von präoperativer Ängstlichkeit Und Bewertung Beruhigender Maßnahmen: Anonyme Patientenbefragung

Acronym: anti-anxiety

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Dec 18, 2025
Registry last updated
Apr 27, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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