Association between anxiety preceding the diagnostic hysteroscopy examination and the patient’s baseline anxiety status, by Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A)

Objective. The aim of the study is to assess whether there is an association between anxiety preceding the diagnostic hysteroscopy examination with the patient’s baseline anxiety status by assessing the latter with Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A).
Materials and Methods. Study conducted by telephone administration of the proposed questionnaire to patients
who underwent diagnostic hysteroscopy examination at the U.O.C. of Gynecology and Obstetrics of the PO Umberto
I of Enna. Questionnaire divided into two parts, the first part HAM-A and the second part is asked: age, whether in
menopause, state of anxiety pre-diagnostic hysteroscopy assigning a value from 0 (null) to 4 (very severe). We classified patients who were menopausal and who were of childbearing age. Considering the HAM-A scores, we grouped the patients into two groups: HA (patients with mild to moderate anxiety) and HB (severe anxiety). In addition, we classified patients according to pre-hysteroscopy anxiety into group C (encloses patients who gave response 0 to 2), group D (response 3 and 4).
Results. In review evaluated 75 patients, 38 already menopausal and 37 non-menopausal.
First group: in menopausal women there is a trend of association between baseline anxiety and hysteroscopy-related anxiety (p = 0.065).
Second group: in fertile women, on the other hand, there is no association between the two types of anxiety (p = 0.50).
Conclusions. Therefore, the approach to diagnostic hysteroscopy examination is different between the two categories of women.