Impact of Tracheostomy on Pain, Anxiety, and Joint Mobility in Intensive Care Settings

Tracheostomy, commonly applied in patients requiring prolonged follow-up in intensive care units, brings several factors that may affect quality of life. This study aimed to compare the levels of pain, anxiety, and joint range of motion in intensive care patients with and without tracheostomy, and to evaluate the effect of tracheostomy on these parameters. This cross-sectional descriptive study included 51 patients hospitalized for at least 14 days in the Anesthesia Intensive Care Unit of Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University, who met the inclusion criteria. Participants were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of tracheostomy. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale, anxiety with the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and joint range of motion using a goniometer. According to the results, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of pain and joint range of motion (p>0.05). However, anxiety levels were significantly higher in tracheostomized patients compared to those without tracheostomy (p=0.027). These findings suggest that while tracheostomy does not impose physical limitations, its psychological impact should be carefully considered.