The relationship between preoperative anxiety level and postoperative fear of falling in patients who undergone total knee arthroplasty

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between anxiety level before total knee replacement surgery and fear of falling after surgery. Tools and Methods: The descriptive study was approved by the ethics committee and informed consent. The data of the research was collected between August-December 2017, 122 voluntary patients between the ages of 35-83 years who are hospitalized to have Total Knee Arthroplasty in Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic of Merkez Efendi State Hospital and Manisa State Hospital. The anxiety levels of the patients are evaluated by the Anxiety Specific to Surgery Questionnaire (ASSQ) and the fear of falling levels are assessed by the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK). Results: There is a weak, positive and significant relationship between the mean of ASSQ (32.19±6.15) and TSK (48.91±5.41) (r= 0.313, p <0.05). It's found that there is a significant difference between the mean of ASSQ score and gender, education, occupation, social security, and age; and there is a significant difference between the educational status, and the mean of TSK (p<0.05). Conclusion: In the present study, it is concluded for the patients that if preoperative anxiety level is increased also postoperative fear of falling level is increased; preoperative anxiety levels are related with gender, educational status, occupation and thyroid medicine, postoperative fear of falling level is related to education. Keywords: Total Knee Arthroplasty, Anxiety, Fear of Falling