Use of video-based multimedia information to reduce anxiety before office hysteroscopy

Use of multimedia tools has been shown to improve patient comprehension, reduce pre-procedural anxiety, and increase patient satisfaction in various surgical settings.

To investigate the impact of video-based multimedia information (MMI) on the anxiety levels of patients undergoing office hysteroscopy (OH).

All consecutive women aged 18-65 years and scheduled for diagnostic OH were enrolled in this prospective randomized study. Subjects were assigned to receive video-based MMI or conventional written information (controls). The trait and state anxiety were assessed using the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) before the MMI or written information. STAI-state (STAI-S) was repeated after application of the MMI or written information. All patients underwent a standardized transvaginal hysteroscopy procedure by the same gynecologist. Following the hysteroscopy, patient satisfaction and procedural pain were ranked using a Likert scale and visual analogue scale.

Fifty-two patients were randomized to receive a video-based MMI, and 52 patients were randomized to receive written information. Post-information STAI-S score was significantly lower in the MMI group than that of the written information group (45.0 ±8.0 vs. 49.4 ±8.4, p < 0.001, 95% CI for the difference: 1.36-7.79). Moreover, the satisfaction rate of the video group was significantly higher than the satisfaction rate of the controls (92.3% vs. 63.5%, p < 0.001). VAS score of procedural pain was similar for the two groups.

A video-based MMI before OH might be preferred to conventional information methods in order to reduce the pre-procedural anxiety and to increase patients' satisfaction.