Psychological morbidity associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm screening

Objectives:To identify whether abdominal aortic aneurysm screening causes anxiety in those screened and whether the diagnosis of an aneurysm produces sustained anxiety in subjects in comparison with those in whom no abnormality is detected.Design:Prospective case controlled study.Materials and Methods:The 28-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) was used to assess psychological morbidity in 161 men attending for routine aneurysm screening in the Gloucestershire Aneurysm Screening Programme. One hundred men had a normal aorta and 61 were identified as having aneurysms. The GHQ was administered just before screening and 1 month later. An anxiety linear analogue scale was also used.Results:There was no difference in anxiety levels between those men with normal aortas and those with aneurysms either before or after screening. There was a statistically significant reduction in both these groups 1 month after screening.Conclusion:This study shows that although the invitation to aneurysm screening may cause some mild anxiety, this is not prolonged even when an asymptomatic aneurysm is diagnosed