[Parental anxiety increases pre-operative anxiety in the paediatric patient subjected to day surgery].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the pre-operative anxiety associated with parental anxiety in children subjected to day surgery, by studying the parent-child behaviour and interaction in the surgical environment.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A prospective, observational and cross-sectional study was conducted on 98 paediatric patients, between 2 and 10 years-old, scheduled for elective day surgery with general anaesthesia. The modified YALE Pre-operative Anxiety Scale was applied, and the parents were independently evaluated using the Hamilton Anxiety Test.

RESULTS

Pre-operative anxiety was present in 71.4% of the patients. Children between 5 and 7 years had a significantly higher risk of presenting with anxiety (P=.05). In the parents group, 55.2% showed mild anxiety, and 9.2% moderate. The mother was the family member who most often accompanied the paediatric patient.

CONCLUSIONS

The anxiety in children subjected to surgery is characterised by subjective feelings of tension, fear, nervousness, and worry that could be expressed in diverse forms. The evaluation of anxiety in the pre-operative period is an excellent tool to start and to perform both psychological and pharmacological interventions.