Investigation of preoperative and postoperative anxiety of parents of hospitalized children and their perceptions of the provided information

Abstract

Introduction: Hospitalization, and especially the surgical intervention of a child, constitutes a highly stressful event for parents, often accompanied by feelings of anxiety, uncertainty, and fear. This anxiety can significantly impact their psychological state and their overall caregiving experience.
Aim: The study was to investigate the levels of stress experienced by parents of children undergoing surgery in a public hospital in the prefecture of Attica. Material and Method: The study sample consisted of 200 parents of hospitalized children. Data collection was conducted through interviews using the “State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)” questionnaire, which also included socio-demographic and clinical variables, along with parents’ views regarding preoperative information. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. Univariate analysis was carried out using Pearson correlation coefficients, independent samples t-tests, and one-way ANOVA. The significance level was set at p<0.05.
Results: Findings indicated that preoperative state anxiety was significantly higher than preoperative trait anxiety (p<0.001), as well as significantly higher than postoperative state anxiety (p<0.001). A statistically significant difference in preoperative trait anxiety was found between parents who had previously hospitalized a child and those without such experience (p=0.050). Educational level (p=0.033) and the total information score (p<0.001) had a significant impact on preoperative trait anxiety, while only information about postoperative care (p=0.001) significantly affected preoperative state anxiety. Parents who received adequate information about anesthesia and medical examinations reported 3.55 and 4.24 points lower preoperative trait anxiety scores, respectively, compared to those who received partial or no information. Similarly, parents who were adequately informed about postoperative care had 4.06 points lower preoperative trait anxiety scores. According to the multiple linear regression model, only the information provided regarding postoperative care (p=0.014) had a statistically significant effect on postoperative state anxiety.
Conclusions: The study highlights the need to enhance communication and provide individualized information to the parents of pediatric patients. Offering psychological support and guidance to parents can significantly contribute to reducing anxiety and improving the overall hospitalization experience.