A Descriptive Study to Determine Anxiety and Depression Among Hospitalized Elderly Undergoing Abdominal Surgery Admitted in Nehru Hospital, PGIMER, Chandigarh

Background Hospitalized elderly people suffer from psychological distress due to negative changes in their lives. Hospitalization is stressful for elderly people, as they undergo various surgical and medical procedures. Mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety can be seen as major risk factors among the hospitalized geriatric population. Hence, the need was felt to undertake a study to determine anxiety and depression among hospitalized elderly. Objective To determine anxiety and depression among hospitalized elderly undergoing abdominal surgery at the Nehru Hospital, PGIMER, Chandigarh. Material and Methods A descriptive study was conducted on 60 hospitalized elderly patients. The sample was determined using the purposive sampling technique. The data was collected by interviewing patients as per the interview schedule comprising socio-demographic variables, clinical profile, Geriatric Depression Scale, and Geriatric Anxiety Scale. Results The study found that 31.7% of participants had mild anxiety, 46.7% had moderate anxiety, and 21.7% had severe anxiety. All study participants had mild depression. The present study found a significant relationship between anxiety and depression (r = 0.348, p = .01). Conclusion There is a high prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms among hospitalized elderly undergoing abdominal surgery. The presence of psychiatric distress can worsen physical illness and lead to slow recovery. So appropriate mental health interventions must be planned for their management.