The Role of Preoperative Educational Intervention in Reducing Parental Anxiety

Background and objective The parents of pediatric patients admitted for elective surgery exhibit significant levels of anxiety. The reduction in parental anxiety is directly proportional to the information and counseling provided to the parents preoperatively. The parenting style in South Asian culture is different from that of western cultures and may influence the response to these interventions. In this study, we aimed to compare the mean anxiety levels between parents of children (aged three to eight years) undergoing outpatient infraumbilical surgery equipped with standardized preoperative parental education and those without. Methods This was a randomized, controlled, and blinded trial. Parents of 72 pediatric patients (aged three to eight years) undergoing elective infraumbilical daycare surgery were enrolled and were divided into two groups: an intervention (Group I) and a non-intervention (Group NI) group. Both groups received routine verbal counseling at the preoperative clinic, but a standardized brochure was provided only to Group I. Parental anxiety was measured by using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at three different time points: in the outpatient surgery suite on the day of surgery, in the preoperative area 10 minutes before shifting the child to the operating room, and finally in the recovery room. Results The baseline mean VAS score was significantly higher in Group I compared to Group NI (p=0.017). After the intervention, the mean pain score significantly decreased from baseline in Group I as compared to Group NI (mean ±SD: 4.08 ±1.6 vs. 6.08 ±1.66; p=0.0005). Conclusion The information provided through standardized written material to the parents on the day of surgery before anesthesia helped to significantly attenuate preoperative parental anxiety.