Drug patient information leaflets in anaesthesia: effect on anxiety and patient satisfaction

Patient information leaflets are produced for all new drugs, including anaesthetic drugs that are licensed solely for physician administration. The effect of this information on patients' satisfaction and anxiety has not been investigated previously.

Eighty-five patients were allocated randomly to receive a standard information leaflet about anaesthesia (Group 1) or the standard leaflet plus the manufacturers' patient information leaflets for propofol and remifentanil (Group 2). Anxiety was assessed using the state trait anxiety index (STAI) and a visual analogue scale (VAS) for anxiety before and after this information had been read. Patients' attitudes to this information were assessed by a short questionnaire.

There was no significant difference in STAI or VAS scores for anxiety between the two groups before or after the information leaflets. Significantly more patients who received drug patient information leaflets felt that they had received too much information (0% Group 1 vs 18% Group 2, P=0.003). More than 64% of patients in both groups said that they would not wish to receive detailed anaesthetic drug information. There was a correlation between the STAI and the VAS scores for anxiety (R=0.8).

A minority of patients (up to 36%) wish to receive detailed anaesthetic drug information before anaesthesia. Manufacturers' drug patient information leaflets do not alter preoperative anxiety and may be safely issued to patients requesting such information.