title: Anxiety Among Patients Undergoing Nail Surgery and Skin Punch Biopsy: Effects of Age, Gender, Educational Status, and Previous Experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patient anxiety about nail surgery relates mainly to pain associated with needle puncture, anesthetic flow during the procedure, and postoperative care, as well as possible past traumatic experience.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to compare anxiety levels among patients undergoing nail surgery and skin punch biopsy and to assess the effects of demographic characteristics on anxiety.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight consecutive patients who were referred to a dermatological surgery unit for nail surgery intervention (group 1) and 50 age- and sex-matched patients referred to the same unit for skin punch biopsy (group 2) were enrolled in the study. Patients' anxiety levels were measured using Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in median anxiety level between group 1 (42.00; interquartile range, 6.50) and group 2 (41.00; interquartile range, 8.25) (P = .517). The demographic factors of patient sex, educational status, and prior surgery showed no significant effects on anxiety levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nail surgery does not seem to cause significantly greater anxiety than skin punch biopsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Haydarpaşa Numune Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey fatihgoktay@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Göktay
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Haydarpaşa Numune Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeynep Müzeyyen
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Altan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Haydarpaşa Numune Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Anıl
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Talas
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Haydarpaşa Numune Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Esma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Akpınar
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Haydarpaşa Numune Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ekin Özge
authors.initials: EÖ
authors.lastname: Özdemir
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Haydarpaşa Numune Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aytekin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety; D001706:Biopsy / Q000523:psychology; D003710:Demography; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009262:Nails / Q000601:surgery*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: antianxiety agents; anxiety; biopsy; nail diseases; nail surgery; needle phobia; premedication; skin diseases