Perioperative medicine & outcomes
Prevalence and severity of pain, anxiety, stress, and sleep disturbances among surgical patients: a nationwide single-day multicentre flash mob study
Authors' conclusion
Pain, anxiety, stress, and sleep disturbances are highly frequent complications among surgical patients in Dutch hospitals.
Study context
- Population
- Adult surgical patients with expected hospital stay of at least one night in 29 Dutch hospitals (neurosurgery, cardiothoracic or orthopaedic surgery excluded)733 (68%) completed
- Participants
- 1,077 patients
- Outcome
- Self-reported pain (NRS), anxiety (VAS for Anxiety), stress (Perceived Stress Scale) and sleep disturbances (adapted PROMIS)
Methodological detailsnationwide, single-day, multicentre, flash mob
- Nationwide
- Single-day
- Multicentre
- Flash mob
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Moderate to severe pain, most frequent post-surgery
509
69.7%
Anxiety, more prevalent preoperatively
278
38.1%
Moderate to severe stress, similar pre- and post-surgery
272
37.8%
Sleep disturbances
440
64.1%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Severity by sex and socioeconomic status (subgroup)
- Pain and anxiety more severe in females
- Sleep disturbances more severe in patients with lower socioeconomic status
Original publication
Prevalence and severity of pain, anxiety, stress, and sleep disturbances among surgical patients: a nationwide single-day multicentre flash mob study. Br J Surg. Published 17 July 2025. doi:10.
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