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Parental anxiety before elective surgery in children A British perspective
Author(s) -
Shirley P. J.,
Thompson N.,
Kenward M.,
Johnston G.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2044.1998.00533.x
Subject(s) - medicine , anxiety , elective surgery , perspective (graphical) , general anaesthesia , anesthesia , psychiatry , general surgery , artificial intelligence , computer science
This study measures the anxiety levels in 100 parents of children scheduled for elective surgery at the Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital. Anxiety levels were quantified using the Leeds scale for self‐assessment of anxiety. Forty‐two per cent of parents were significantly anxious. Mothers were identified as being more pathologically anxious than fathers. The ‘anxious’ parents were specifically more anxious about the surgery, anaesthesia, postoperative pain and treatment, and hospitalisation in general. All parents, whether identified as anxious or not, agreed on factors likely to reduce anxiety: pre‐operative information from staff, being able to accompany their child to the operating theatre and being present at induction of anaesthesia.