A Descriptive Study to Assess the Level of Anxiety among Patients with Cardiac Pace Maker

Background of study :Anxiety following a major cardiac event can impede recovery and is associated with a higher morbidity and mortality. A growing body of evidence now suggests that there is presence of negative affective state like anxiety. Patients experience anxiety due to unusual special procedures like implantation of artificial pacemaker. Patients usually worry and anxious about pacemaker function, possible complications and adjustment following the procedure. To provide comprehensive care, nurse has to assess the anxiety among patients with implanted cardiac pacemaker. Hence this study has been conducted to assess the level of anxiety among patients with cardiac pacemaker in selected cardiac institutions Bengaluru, with a view to develop an information guide sheet on coping strategies.

Objectives of study :To assess the level of anxiety among patients with cardiac pace maker and to find the association between the level of anxiety among patients with cardiac pace maker with selected socio-demographic variables. To develop and provide an information guide sheet on coping strategies.

Methods :The study involved non experimental approach, and descriptive research design with purposive sampling technique. To collect the data from respondents, structured interview schedule was used and administered to 60 artificial cardiac pacemaker implanted patients following inclusion and exclusion criteria. The tool consisted 45 items regarding assessment of anxiety. The validity and reliability (0.834) of tool was obtained to conduct the study. The results were described by using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results of study: The study explores out of 60 respondents 16 had no anxiety and 44 respondents had mild anxiety and no respondents had moderate and above level of anxiety. The highest mean anxiety regarding artificial pacemaker implantation was 44.4% found in the economical aspect and followed by psychological aspect mean anxiety was 39.2%. Social aspect mean anxiety was 36.3%. Family aspect mean anxiety was 32.5 % .Physical and physiological aspect wise mean anxiety was 28.3%. The overall mean anxiety of respondents was 34.6% with SD 10.3%.Data was been subjected to chi square to find association. There are significant associations were found between anxiety level of respondents and demographic variables such as age (8.55^*), type of family (6.16^*), type of pacemaker (6.51^*) and other illness identified (6.09) at 0.05 level.

Interpretation and Conclusion: The overall findings of the study clearly showed that there is presence of mild anxiety among patients with cardiac pacemaker. And study significantly explores and describes the need for assessment of anxiety to provide physical and psychological integrated care to prevent anxiety and to develop appropriate coping strategies.