Effect of preoperative education on anxiety in children undergoing day-care surgery

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Anesthesiology
• Medical Education
• Child Psychology

Background:

• Preoperative anxiety in children is a significant concern.
• Limited research exists on anxiety reduction methods in the Indian pediatric population.
• Standard methods often rely on verbal information during preanesthetic checks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the effect of an informative peer modeling video on preoperative anxiety in children.
• To evaluate the efficacy of multimedia information versus verbal explanation in reducing pediatric anxiety before anesthesia.
• To address the gap in Indian literature regarding preoperative anxiety interventions.

Main Methods:

• 94 children (7-12 years) were randomized into two groups: study (video) and control (verbal information).
• Anxiety was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) before anesthesia and during the preanesthetic check.
• Statistical analysis included Mann-Whitney U-test, Chi-square test, and t-test, with P < 0.05 considered significant.

Main Results:

• The study group showed a significantly lower median preoperative VAS score (1) compared to the control group (5) (P < 0.001).
• Mean preoperative pulse rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure were significantly lower in the video group.
• The peer modeling video intervention demonstrated a marked reduction in anxiety indicators.

Conclusions:

• Multimedia information, specifically a peer modeling video, effectively reduces preoperative anxiety in children aged 7-12 years.
• This intervention offers a promising strategy for managing pediatric anxiety in the preanesthetic setting.
• The findings support the use of visual aids in pediatric preanesthetic care within the Indian healthcare system.