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Non-pharmacological interventions to reduce anxiety among children undergoing surgery: A systematic review

Edlin Glane Mathias1, Mamatha Shivananda Pai2, Vasudeva Guddattu3

  • 1Department of Child Health Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.

Journal of Child Health Care : for Professionals Working with Children in the Hospital and Community
|January 31, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Non-pharmacological interventions effectively reduce anxiety in children undergoing surgery. These methods, including play and education, offer significant benefits for pediatric patients facing surgical procedures.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Child Psychology
  • Evidence-Based Healthcare

Background:

  • Hospitalized children exhibit higher anxiety levels than non-hospitalized peers.
  • Surgical procedures induce significant emotional distress in children and their families, potentially leading to adverse outcomes.
  • Identifying effective anxiety reduction strategies for pediatric surgical patients is crucial.

Approach:

  • Systematic literature search across multiple databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Proquest, Web of Science, Cochrane).
  • Inclusion of 15 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating non-pharmacological interventions for pediatric surgical anxiety.
  • Risk of bias assessment using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool.

Key Points:

  • Interventions studied included preoperative education, puppet play, therapeutic play, distraction activities, parental presence, and clown therapy.
  • Narrative reporting of findings from included RCTs.
  • Non-pharmacological interventions demonstrated effectiveness in mitigating preoperative anxiety in children.

Conclusions:

  • Non-pharmacological interventions are effective in reducing anxiety in children undergoing surgery.
  • Limited research originates from developing countries, highlighting a gap in global evidence.
  • Further research is needed to support the widespread implementation of these interventions in pediatric surgical care.

Keywords:
Anxietychildpainpediatricssurgical procedures

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