Is Circumcision a simple Operation? A Study about Parents’ Anxiety and Fears

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the factors which affect the anxiety of the parents of children undergoing circumcision. Patients and methods: A self-structured survey and Statefulness and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-1 and STAI-2) were applied to both mothers and fathers (n=240) in the period prior to circumcision. STAI-1 State Anxiety Inventory was given to the parents on the day of the procedure. STAI-2 trait anxiety inventory was filled by the parents in the outpatient clinic during the preoperative preparation. Results: The average age of the mothers was 33.21±6.00 and the average age of the fathers was 36.74±7.34. There was a significant difference between the mean scores of STAI-1 state anxiety levels between the mothers and fathers (p=0.001), showing higher state anxiety levels among both. The STAI-2 trait anxiety level scores of mothers were found to be significantly higher than fathers (p=0.002). The anxiety levels of both mothers (p=0.001) and fathers (p=0.001) increased significantly on the day of circumcision. The parental anxiety was significantly associated with education level, father’s income level, number of children, and the child’s chronic health problem. Families were mostly worried about anaesthesia complications (72.5%); risk of infection (71.7%); post-operative pain (70%); post-operative bleeding (60.3%); and inadequate removal of the foreskin (55%). Conclusion: The anxiety levels of both parents increased significantly on the day of circumcision, but mothers’ anxiety levels were higher than fathers. Families were mostly concerned about the anaesthesia-related complications