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Abstract
Objective: To examine the psychological characteristics of patients after receiving positive fecal occult blood test (FOBT) results. To examine the relationship between patients’ psychological state after receiving positive FOBT results and their decision-making regarding further screening for the cause.
Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 176 patients aged 40 to 80 years from Ung Hoa - Hanoi and Phu Cu - Hung Yen, who had positive FOBT results (above 100 ng/ml) between July 2023 and May 2024. Patients’ psychological state was assessed immediately after receiving their positive FOBT results using a questionnaire based on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory - Form Y1 (STAI-Y1) scale to evaluate anxiety levels.
Results: The anxiety rate was 94.2%, with the majority experiencing low and moderate anxiety levels (35.6% and 39.8%, respectively). Anxiety levels were not associated with the intention to return for follow-up (χ² = 0.125 and p = 0.974), but were related to the decision to undergo endoscopy for diagnosis (χ² = 0.9705 and p = 0.021).
Conclusion: There is a strong association between patients’ psychological state immediately after receiving positive FOBT results and their decision to undergo endoscopy for gastrointestinal pathology when guided by healthcare professionals. This highlights the crucial role of healthcare provider counseling.
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References
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