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Website found to ease pre-surgery anxiety in children and parents

Parents and children who used the Web-based Tailored Intervention for Preparation for parents and children undergoing Outpatient Surgery reported less anxiety regarding surgery, according to a study.

“[Web-based Tailored Intervention for Preparation for Outpatient Surgery] was shown to result in improved immediate behavioral outcomes, including decreased preoperative anxiety in parents and children and decreased emergence delirium in children undergoing surgery,” Michelle A. Fortier, PhD, department of anesthesiology and perioperative care at the University of California, Irvine, and colleagues wrote.

Michelle A. Fortier

Web-based Tailored Intervention for Preparation of parents and children for Outpatient Surgery (WebTIPS) includes an animated children’s section to teach anxiety and pain coping strategies, designed to prepare children for what to anticipate before, during and after surgery. A parent section includes various modalities to prepare parents for the day of surgery.

Researchers evaluated children, aged 2 to 7 years, who were assigned to use WebTIPS (n = 38) or standard care (n = 44) prior to surgery, to assess preoperative anxiety among both groups.

At various points, children’s anxiety was assessed by a trained RA: during separation to the OR; entrance to the OR; and introduction of the anesthesia mask. Results demonstrated that the WebTIPS group was less anxious compared with the standard care group at the OR entrance (P = .02) and at the start of anesthesia (P = .01).

Less preoperative anxiety was reported in parents using WebTIPS compared with standard care parents (P = .004). Parents reported finding WebTIPS to be helpful and easy to use (P < .001 for both).

“WebTIPS has the potential to transform the delivery of behavioral interventions for children and families undergoing surgery, will likely reduce hospital costs and can reach a broad health care provider and patient base,” Fortier and colleagues wrote. – by Casey Hower

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.