Elective paediatric surgery: what do parents really want to know?

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Patient-Centered Care
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Parental perspectives on pediatric elective surgery are underrepresented in medical literature.
• Improving parental satisfaction requires understanding their priorities and concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify parental priorities regarding information provision before pediatric elective surgery.
• To compare parental and surgeon views on essential pre-operative information.
• To enhance parental satisfaction through tailored communication.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire-based survey was administered to 337 parents of children undergoing elective surgery.
• A comparative survey was conducted among 12 surgeons.
• Data analysis focused on identifying priorities and discrepancies between groups.

Main Results:

• Parents prioritized understanding surgical complications and surgeon experience over scar appearance or operation duration.
• A significant portion of parents (43%) preferred receiving information on the day of surgery, while others desired advance notice.
• Face-to-face discussions were the preferred communication method, with booklets favored over online resources.

Conclusions:

• There is a notable divergence between parental and surgeon expectations regarding pre-operative information.
• Addressing parental concerns about surgical risks and surgeon expertise is crucial.
• Customizing information delivery based on parental priorities can significantly improve satisfaction with pediatric surgical care.