Anxiety Levels among Stroke Patients Prior to Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) During Hospitalization: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Stroke is a serious acute cerebrovascular disease caused by impaired blood supply to the brain. To accurately evaluate cerebral vascular conditions in stroke patients, Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) is used as the gold standard diagnostic examination. Despite its high diagnostic value, the DSA procedure can cause anxiety due to the unfamiliar environment, concerns about the risks of the procedure, and a lack of patient understanding of the procedure. This study aims to describe the level of anxiety in stroke patients undergoing DSA during their treatment.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 60 stroke patients scheduled for DSA during their treatment at a referral hospital in Aceh Province. Data were collected from November 2025 to January 2026. Respondents were recruited using a purposive sampling technique. Anxiety levels were measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) questionnaire. Data were analyzed descriptively using frequency distribution, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and min-max.

Results: The assessment results showed that all respondents (n = 60; 100%) were in the severe anxiety category (range 45–80) with an average STAI-S score of 63.45 ± 4.739, min 54 and max 73.

Conclusion: All stroke patients undergoing DSA experienced significant anxiety during the pre-procedure period. These findings demonstrate the high psychological burden experienced by patients prior to DSA procedures and underscore the importance of developing effective interventions to reduce anxiety and improve patient psychological preparedness prior to the procedure.