Effect of the informed consent process on anxiety and comprehension of patients undergoing esophageal and gastrointestinal surgery

Objective This study seeks to evaluate the level of anxiety, recall, and comprehension of the provided information in patients undergoing esophageal and gastrointestinal surgery. Methods Sixty-one patients without cognitive disorders entered a prospective study designed to assess the effect of a surgical informed consent process. The written informed consent was administered to all patients and was supported by a verbal explanation and a schematic drawing of the operation. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory test was used to assess state anxiety and tract anxiety. The test was repeated after the informed consent process. A disease-specific feedback questionnaire was subsequently administered to assess the actual comprehension of the provided information. Results A significant decrease of the state anxiety scores was documented in most patients (p