Anaesthesia information--what patients want to know

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Patient Information and Consent
• Medical Communication

Background:

• Effective patient information delivery is crucial for informed consent prior to anesthesia.
• Determining the optimal amount of information for patients is a key challenge in clinical practice.
• Existing information methods may not adequately meet patient needs or comprehension levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel leaflet for improving information delivery before anesthesia consent.
• To assess patient comprehension and anxiety levels across different disclosure strategies (full, standard, minimal).
• To identify the preferred information disclosure level for patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Main Methods:

• A new anesthesia information leaflet was developed and implemented in clinical practice.
• Forty-five cardiac surgery patients were studied, exposed to three information levels: full, standard (leaflet), and minimal.
• Patient state anxiety scores and knowledge about anesthesia were assessed.
• Patient preferences regarding information content were surveyed.

Main Results:

• No significant change in state anxiety scores was observed across any information disclosure level.
• Only the 'full' disclosure group showed a significant increase in patient knowledge about anesthesia (P = 0.016).
• All leaflets were rated as easy to understand.
• When presented individually, 64-73% of patients found the content 'just right'. However, when viewed together, 63% felt the 'minimal' leaflet was insufficient.

Conclusions:

• The developed leaflet is easy to understand and does not increase patient anxiety.
• Comprehensive information disclosure ('full') appears most effective for enhancing patient knowledge without adverse effects.
• Patients prefer more detailed information, as a 'minimal' disclosure may be perceived as inadequate.