Using WeChat to guide preparation before transthoracic echocardiography reduces anxiety and improves satisfaction of parents of infants with congenital heart disease

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of using WeChat to guide preparation before transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) on reducing anxiety and improving the satisfaction of parents of infants with congenital heart disease (CHD). METHODS: This study was a retrospective study conducted in a children’s hospital. The clinical data of 44 patients and the anxiety and satisfaction data of their parents who received WeChat guidance were collected between December 2021 and January 2022 (the WeChat group). The corresponding data of 47 patients and their parents who received educational brochure guidance were collected between September 2021 and November 2021 (the routine group). Guidance was used to help the parents prepare for TTE performed by medical professionals. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scale and the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire-18 (PSQ-18) were used. The data of the two groups were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: The comparison of parental anxiety between the two groups showed that the scores of state anxiety and trait anxiety in the WeChat group were significantly lower than those in the routine group (p < 0.05). The comparison of the results of the PSQ-18 showed that the scores for general satisfaction, interpersonal manner, communication, time spent with the physician, and accessibility and convenience in the WeChat group were significantly higher than those in the routine group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Using WeChat to guide preparation before TTE for infants with CHD can effectively reduce the anxiety of their parents and improve their parents’ satisfaction with medical treatment.