EVALUATION of LEVEL of Anxiety IN PATIENTS with Venous Ulcer

The venous ulcer has significant morbidity and changes many aspects of patient life that may reflect in levels of anxiety. Objective: To identify trace and state of anxiety in patients with venous ulcer assisted in outpatient care unit and to correlate age and the wound duration with the level of state and trait of anxiety. Method: non-experimental, prospective, descriptive and analytical studies (CEP 561/2008). To collect data we used two instruments: the questionnaire for the characterization of patients with venous ulcers and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Significant statistical difference was ascertained only for p<.05. The Pearson test was used to check the relation between state and trait anxiety.Results: We evaluated 40 patients and most part (78%) reported that the ulcer interfered with your social activities and leisure. All patients had some level of anxiety. The level of state anxiety was high in all age groups and when compared with the level of trait anxiety, they remained high, except in 51 to 60 years, where there is a predominance of moderate levels of anxiety. Conclusion: This study showed that anxiety is present at different levels in patients with venous ulcers. State-anxiety levels were high in all age groups. The levels of trait anxiety and state anxiety were moderate in patients with ulcers of 5 to 10 years, contrasting with the high level of anxiety in patients with longer ulcer.
Keywords: venous ulcers, anxiety, wounds