Association between preoperative waiting interval after surgical information disclosure and postoperative anxiety in adults undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Abstract Background Preoperative anxiety is common among patients undergoing elective surgery and may influence postoperative recovery. Although preoperative counseling has been shown to affect anxiety levels, the psychological implications of the interval between surgical information disclosure and surgery remain insufficiently explored. This study aimed to examine the association between the preoperative waiting interval following surgical information disclosure and postoperative anxiety in adults undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods In this prospective observational study, 235 adult patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia were grouped according to the timing of surgical information disclosure: ≥7 days before surgery (early disclosure) or 1 day before surgery (late disclosure). Postoperative anxiety and pain were assessed 24 h after surgery using the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory–State form (STAI-State) and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), respectively. Associations between variables were evaluated using correlation and multivariable linear regression analyses. Results Patients informed 1 day before surgery had lower postoperative STAI-State scores than those informed ≥ 7 days prior (28.7 vs. 45.7; p < 0.001). Higher anxiety scores were positively correlated with postoperative pain (ρ = 0.683; p < 0.001) and longer time to mobilization (ρ = 0.375; p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, postoperative pain intensity (B = 3.969; p = 0.004) and timing of surgical information disclosure (B = 1.835; p < 0.001) were independently associated with postoperative anxiety. Conclusions A longer interval between surgical information disclosure and surgery was associated with higher postoperative anxiety levels in this cohort. These findings may suggest that patients facing extended preoperative waiting periods could benefit from additional psychological support during the preoperative phase. Given the observational design and the absence of baseline anxiety assessment, causal interpretations should be made with caution. Trial registration The study was observational and did not involve a healthcare intervention requiring prospective trial registration.