Understanding surgical worries before elective operations
Official title: Psychological Evaluation of Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery With Anxiety and Surgical Concerns: a Qualitative Interview Study
Run by University Hospital, Antwerp · NCT07158684 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses a short semi-structured interview to see if identifying adults with high preoperative anxiety can help guide personalized care to reduce the risk of chronic post-surgical pain.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 30 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University Hospital, Antwerp Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Edegem, Antwerpen) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | November 15, 2025 |
| Main results expected | July 1, 2027 |
| Study ends | September 1, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | October 13, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07158684 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are Dutch-speaking adults (≥18) scheduled for elective surgery at Antwerp University Hospital who can use a tablet and score ≥11 on the APAIS anxiety subscale.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients unlikely to benefit include non–Dutch speakers, people with low preoperative anxiety scores, those undergoing diagnostic procedures requiring anesthesia (which are excluded), and emergency surgery patients.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Dutch-speaking adults scheduled for elective surgery at Antwerp University Hospital who score ≥11 on the APAIS anxiety subscale will complete a brief semi-structured interview on a tablet to describe their surgical concerns. The interview gathers detailed psychological and concern-related information that has been linked to later chronic post-surgical pain. Investigators plan to use these data to inform the development of individualized biopsychosocial care pathways and preventive policies. The work aims to translate early identification of a high-risk population into targeted pre- and post-operative support.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could enable early identification of patients at high risk of chronic post-surgical pain and inform targeted, personalized pre- and post-operative support to lower that risk.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that higher preoperative anxiety predicts chronic post-surgical pain, but using semi-structured interviews to create individualized biopsychosocial care pathways is relatively novel and not yet widely tested.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * ≥ 18 years old * Dutch speaking * With a planned elective surgery, at the Antwerp University Hospital * Score of ≥ 11 on APAIS anxiety subscale * Must be able to complete questions on a tablet (digital literacy) * Signed informed consen (prescreening informed consent and study participation informed consent) Exclusion Criteria: * Diagnostic procedures requiring anaesthesia
Where it's running
-
University Hospital of Antwerp
Edegem, Antwerpen, Belgium Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Eva Wauters, Master
- Email: eva.wauters@uza.be
- Phone: +32034368165
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.