Perioperative medicine & outcomes
Understanding preoperative concerns and attitudes towards prehabilitation in older surgical populations: A survey study
Authors' conclusion
This study highlights common preoperative concerns among older adults, particularly regarding surgery, anesthesia, and functional status, with greater concern reported by those with functional dependence. While attitudes towards prehabilitation were generally positive, there was low willingness to undergo preoperative memory testing.
Study context
- Population
- Non-cardiac surgical patients ≥65 years old
- Participants
- 236 patients
- Outcome
- Preoperative concerns across five domains (surgery, anesthesia, functional status, cognitive status, financial burden; 5-point Likert scale) and attitudes towards prehabilitation, functional and cognitive assessments
Methodological detailsmulticentre, survey
- Multicentre
- Survey
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Preoperative concerns by domain (5-point Likert scale)
- Surgical concerns highest (mean ± SD), particularly postoperative pain, surgical failure, complications
- 2.5 ± 1.2
- Concerns about anesthesia (mean ± SD)
- 2.0 ± 1.3
- Concerns about functional status (mean ± SD)
- 1.9 ± 1.3
- Concerns about cognitive status (mean ± SD)
- 1.5 ± 1.1
- Concerns about financial burden (mean ± SD)
- 1.4 ± 0.9
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Attitudes towards prehabilitation and preoperative assessments
- Willing to undergo memory assessment
- 37 %
- Attitudes towards prehabilitation generally positive; most open to functional assessments and training programs
Factor structure of preoperative concerns
- Five-factor structure: basic ADL, instrumental ADL, surgical/anesthesia, cognitive/financial, discharge concerns; supported by confirmatory factor analysis with adequate model fit
Original publication
Understanding preoperative concerns and attitudes towards prehabilitation in older surgical populations: A survey study. J Clin Anesth. Published 5 June 2025. doi:10.
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