To investigate the anxieties of patients undergoing oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (OGD), colonoscopy and endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) in relation to their demographic features, their knowledge and understanding of the procedure, its indication, and their doctors' explanation. A standard questionnaire was filled in consecutively for 280 OGD patients, 64 colonoscopy patients and 50 ERCP patients.