Effect of a preparation leaflet on the preoperational anxiety of parents in pediatric day-case surgery in the Markaz-Tebbi Pediatric Hospital

Pediatric day-case surgery has increased in the past decades. It involves a considerable amount of stress and anxiety not only for children who undergo surgery but also for their parents This study was designed to determine the amount of anxiety of mothers in a pediatric day-case surgery setting in the Markaz-Tebbi Pediatric Hospital and to assess the effect of a preparation leaflet on their preoperational anxiety. A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 60 mothers referred to the hospital surgery unit for a pediatric day-case surgery. Through a systematic random sampling method, the study subjects were selected and enrolled into intervention and control groups. A preparation training leaflet including information about pre-, within-, and post-operational procedures provided for the intervention group in the day of surgery. The level of anxiety was measured using Spielburger questionnaire in both groups in the day of surgery. Data were analysed using parametric and non-parametric tests via SPSS v.15 computer software. Mean score of stated anxiety of both groups was 48.2±10.14. The corresponding values were 43.96±8.3 and 53.50±10.07 for the intervention and control groups, respectively. Mann-Whitney U test showed a significant difference in the anxiety level between two groups (P<0.001). The results of this study revealed that written information can be used as an economic and applicable method by a wide range of families whenever efficiency is considered as the first factor for choosing preparation route