Reducing anxiety in parents before and during pediatric anesthesia induction

Fear and anxiety in a child undergoing surgery are correlated positively with the parent's level of anxiety, and interventions to decrease the parent's anxiety are appropriate. The purpose of this study was to determine whether viewing a video of an actual pediatric inhalation induction would reduce the level of parental anxiety. Eighty patients requiring an inhalation anesthetic induction were selected and randomized to 2 groups. Parents in the experimental group (group 1; n = 40) viewed a video demonstrating pediatric mask induction. Parents in the control group (group 2; n = 40) received an information pamphlet only. Anxiety was measured perioperatively in the parents and their children. Mean arterial pressure for children in group 1 was significantly lower during preoperative holding and following induction (P < .05). The level of anxiety postoperatively of children and parents in group 1 was significantly lower than that of children and parents in group 2 (P < .05). Viewing a preoperative video seems to be beneficial. Decreasing the parent's level of anxiety preoperatively may have a positive effect on the child's level of anxiety expressed postoperatively.