Evaluation Anxiety Levels of Adult Patients and Parents of Adolescent Patients With Anaphylaxis

Abstract

Background: Anaphylaxis is a sudden onset condition that may progress with severe systemic symptoms and may be accompanied by life-threatening respiratory failure and cardiovascular shock. Exposure to a traumatic event may cause patients and their parents to fear reliving the same event, so they try to avoid risk factors. It was aimed to determine the anxiety and stress levels in adult patients and in parents of adolescent patients diagnosed with anaphylaxis and to compare them with healthy controls. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire-type study was conducted. Control group (group 1), adult pa-tients diagnosed with anaphylaxis (group 2), and parents (a mother or father) of adolescent diagnosed with anaphylaxis (group 3) were included in the study. The anxiety levels of participants were evaluated by State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).Results: A total of 163 participants were included in the study. Seventy-one participants were in the con-trol group, forty-four were in group 2, thirty-eight were in group 3. STAI-T and STAI-S scores of groups 2 and 3 were significantly higher than controls. No difference was found between groups 2 and 3 for STAI-T scores (p=0.8) and STAI-S scores (p=0.74). Conclusions: Adult patients diagnosed with anaphylaxis and parents of adolescents are more anxious than the normal healthy population. Anxiety and anaphylactic conditions are often comorbid. Psychosocial assessment should be the first step in adult patients with anaphylaxis and their parents. Physicians should prevent the harm that anxiety may cause. For this purpose, education programs, screening programs, support trainings with patient participation should be organized.