Evaluation of the emotional status of patients on a waiting list for thoracic surgery during the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)

Abstract

AbstractThe objective of this study was to examine the emotional status of patients on the waiting list for thoracic surgery operations during the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Hong Kong. Telephone interviews were conducted on patients awaiting thoracic surgery including major lung resection, mediastinal, pleural, tracheal and chest wall operations during the outbreak of SARS in April 2003 at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong. The anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Fifty‐seven patients participated in the interview (31.67 per cent response rate) of whom 18 were female. On the HADS, using the cut‐off point for psychiatric cases, 17 patients (29.82 per cent) scored above 15 for the full scale indicating significant psychiatric problems. Within the anxiety sub‐scale, 24 patients (42.11 per cent) reached the level of high anxiety (HADS score > 5). Fifteen patients (26.3 per cent) were above the cut‐off score of significant depression (HADS score > 8) for the depression sub‐scale. There was no relationship between the waiting time on the list and the level of depression and anxiety. The outbreak of SARS and the anticipation of surgery contributed to the high levels of anxiety and depression among patients awaiting thoracic surgical operations. A multi‐disciplinary and holistic approach to the management of this group of patients should be considered. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.