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NCT Number: NCT07559461

Fear and Anxiety in Anesthesia-Naïve Patients Pre-operatively vs Post-operatively

The goal of this observational study is to understand how fear and anxiety felt by anesthesia-naive patients compares before versus after their scheduled surgery. Patients who are scheduled to undergo a low-risk surgery/procedure and have never had anesthesia before will be asked to:

1. Fill out a survey before their surgery in the perioperative setting 2. Answer follow-up questions over the phone a few days after their surgery.

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Key information

Conditions

Anxiety Anesthesia Awareness Anxiety Disorders Intraoperative Awareness Intraoperative Complications Mental Disorders Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

About this study

Patients that fit the inclusion/exclusion criteria and consent to the study will fill out a paper survey that is an adapted version of the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS) along with additional questions related to anesthesia anxiety for secondary analysis. 7 days (+/-72 hours) after the patient's surgery, they will complete a follow-up survey over the phone that is an adapted version of the APAIS. Results will be recorded on paper and then uploaded into REDCap for data analysis.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • 18 years old or over
  • Patients scheduled to undergo surgeries such as but not limited to:

cholecystectomies, appendectomies, hernia repairs, breast surgeries, plastic surgeries, thyroidectomy, parathyroidectomy, tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, lithotripsy, stent placement, kidney stone surgeries, cystoscopies, bladder tumors, ovarian cystectomies, hysterectomies, tubal ligation, hysteroscopy, Intrauterine Device (IUD) insertion, knee replacement, hip replacement, fracture pinning, sports injury surgery such as knee and shoulder scopes. OR patients undergoing procedures such as but not limited to: colonoscopies and endoscopies

  • Patient undergoing anesthesia for the first time
  • Patients who are not pregnant by self report

Exclusion criteria

  • Patients under 18
  • Patients who are pregnant
  • Patients undergoing high-risk surgeries
  • Patients undergoing cancer-related procedures
  • Non-English speaking patients
  • Patients that experience mental status change postoperatively as determined by the medical teams caring for the patient
  • Patients with an existing anxiety disorder, or psychiatric diagnoses
  • Patients on benzodiazepines, antidepressants, chronic opioids

Treatment and study plan

Survey using a questionnaire.

Other

A preoperative and postoperative survey questionnaire that is adapted from the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale and includes additional questions regarding their anesthesia and operative care.

Primary outcomes

  1. Differences in anxiety scale scores pre- and post-operatively in anesthesia-naïve patients

    Time frame: From enrollment until 7 days (+/-72 hours) post-operative

    Participants will be given 2 scores based on their pre-operative survey and their post-operative survey. The change in anxiety score will be evaluated.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Determining if there is an association between a pre-operative desire for information related to anesthesia and the post-operative reality of the individual subject's anesthesia experience.

    Time frame: From enrollment until 7 days (+/-71 hours) post-operative

    This data will be collected from the pre-operative and post-operative survey questionnaires and evaluated for correlation.

  2. Comparing the frequency of specific fears of events pre-operatively versus the post-operative reality of the individual subject's anesthesia experience.

    Time frame: From enrollment until 7 days (+/-71 hours) post-operative

    This data will be collected from the pre-operative and post-operative survey questionnaires and will be evaluated.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Anna Suske

CONTACT

[email protected]

631-638-1214

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Stony Brook University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Fear and Anesthesia: How Anxiety and Fear in Anesthesia-Naïve Patients Changes From Preop to Postop

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Apr 30, 2026
Registry last updated
May 5, 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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