Purpose: Groin hernia repair is one of the commonest operations in surgical practice. The aim of this study was to find out if there is any difference between patients living in a rural area and those living in an urban area in terms of preferred type of anaesthesia, patients' participation in decision making, and hospitalisation time. Methods: The records of patients that underwent an elective groin hernia repair between November 2001 and April 2006 were evaluated retrospectively. Preferred type of anaesthesia, hospitalisation time, and participation in the decision making were investigated in patients living in a rural and an urban area, in the northern Black Sea region of Turkey. We also investigated whether the patient's age and sex had any effect on these parameters. Results: A total of 206 patients underwent elective repair of groin hernia in a State Hospital. Mean postoperative time spent in hospital was significantly longer for patients living in the rural area than for those living in the urban area. The hospitalisation time was longer for male than for female patients. Local anaesthesia was the preferred type of anaesthesia for the elderly. Older patients and villagers mostly preferred the physician to make the final decision about their treatment and they had longer hospital stays. Conclusion: Mean hospitalisation time was longer for patients living in the rural area and for male patients than for female patients. Younger patients and city dwellers preferred to make their own decision about their treatment and they had shorter hospital stays
