The Experienced Level of Stress and Anxiety in Patients of a Multidisciplinary Medical Center

At the present stage of development of medicine, the delivery of psychological assistance is an important component of a systemic biopsychosocial approach. Patients and persons accompanying them undoubtedly experience anxiety during hospitalization due to the fact that the very appeal to the hospital and the preceding events are stressful. In turn, many previous studies show that stress can have both mobilizing (eustress) and negative effects (distress) on the emotional state and adaptive processes of a person.

The objective of this study is to study the level of stress and anxiety in patients (n=83) at the time of hospitalization and hospital stay. The study was conducted using three self-reporting scales (the Distress Thermometer, A. Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The results of the study showed that most patients (58%) experienced an increased level of distress. Distress was most often accompanied by the following emotional reactions: anxiety (51%), fear (25%), sadness (21%), and loneliness (21%). The study of emotional state showed that 22% of respondents had a high level of anxiety (according to HADS), and 5% had clinically significant symptoms of anxiety (according to Beck Inventory). Symptoms of depression are less common. In the group of patients with a significant level of distress, a greater number of patients noted high rates of hospital anxiety and depression. In addition, the authors investigated the emotional state of patients after psychological assistance received in the hospital. The results show that the level of distress was almost twice reduced.

A pilot study of a group of patients being treated in the clinical departments of an emergency hospital allows us to draw a preliminary conclusion about the positive effect of the course of psychocorrective classes on the patient’s emotional state and the level of distress experienced, i.e. helps the patient resolve certain internal conflicts associated with a sudden change in life, calm down and positively set oneself up for treatment.

Authors declare lack of the conflicts of interests.

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