Written Educational Material Relieves Anxiety after Endoscopic Biopsy: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Patients who undergo endoscopic biopsy suffer anxiety until results are confirmed. This study assesses the effects of written educational material on the anxiety level of patients following endoscopic biopsy.

METHODS

This study was a randomized controlled study trial with 83 patients divided into the following three groups: a biopsy group given written educational material prepared by our institution following the biopsy (intervention group, n=28), a biopsy group without written material (biopsy only group, n=25), and a control group without biopsy (control group, n=30). The anxiety level of each patient was evaluated three times using Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI): for baseline at the first visit to our institution, at the day of endoscopy, one day later, and one week after the procedure. We compared baseline characteristics, STAI scores at each visit, and differences in STAI scores among the three groups.

RESULTS

No difference was found in STAI score among groups at baseline and before and after the endoscopic procedure. However, the STAI-state score of the intervention group was slightly lower than biopsy only group one day post-procedure (40.3 ± 7.7 vs. 43.9 ± 7.1, p=0.135). The STAI-state score significantly decreased from pre- to post-procedure only in the intervention group (-2.75 ± 6.1 vs. 0.92 ± 4.0, p<0.027).

CONCLUSIONS

Use of written educational material for patients having biopsy might lessen their anxiety level.