Predicting State Anxiety in Optometric Practice

Purpose. Patient anxiety has been shown to be detrimental to healthcare consultations and their outcomes. To date, little is known about the causes of patient anxiety in optometric practice. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of state anxiety for patients attending optometric consultations. Methods. Three hundred sixty six participants (127 male, 239 female; mean age, 54.5; SD +/- 18.0) took part in the study. Each participant completed a preconsultation questionnaire including established measures of "state" anxiety, "trait" anxiety, study specific outcome expectancies, and biographical data. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify which variables predict state anxiety. Results. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the heightened trait anxiety, expecting "bad news" and being a non-spectacle wearer are independent predictors of increased state anxiety. R-2 was 0.33, i.e., the regression model explained 33% of the variance. Conclusions. This is the first time that the predictors of state anxiety in optometric practice have been identified. Optometrists should recognize that patients who are "anxious types," who may be expecting "bad news" and who do not wear spectacles may be more anxious. (Optom Vis Sci 2009;86:1295-1302)