The Influence of Patient-Centered Communication on Children’s Anxiety and Use of Anesthesia for MR

M. Conceição Castro, Isabel Ramos and Irene Palmares Carvalho ()
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M. Conceição Castro: Department of Radiology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João–Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
Isabel Ramos: Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto-Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
Irene Palmares Carvalho: Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto-Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Background: The aim of this study was to inspect the influence of patient-centered communication (PCC) with 4- to 10-year-old children on the use of anesthesia for magnetic resonance imaging exams (MRs). Methods: A total of thirty children received the PCC and pre-simulated the exam with an MR toy. Another 30 children received routine information about the MR and pre-simulated the exam with the toy. Anesthesia use in these two groups was additionally compared with a previously existing group of children ( n = 30) who had received only routine information about the exam (CG). Children’s anxiety was assessed with a self-report question plus heartbeat frequency. Children’s satisfaction was assessed through several questions. The analyses were based on group comparisons and regression. Results: A total of two children (7%) in the PCC + simulation group used sedation compared with 14 (47%) in the simulation group and 21 (70%) in the CG. Differences between the PCC + simulation and the other two groups were significant ( p < 0.001), although not between the simulation and the CG. The decrease in anxiety was significantly greater (self-reported p < 0.001; heart rate p < 0.05) and satisfaction was higher ( p = 0.001) in the PCC + simulation, when compared with the simulation group. Reduced anxiety was associated with less anesthesia use (OR 1.39; CI 1.07–1.79; p = 0.013). Conclusions: PCC + simulation was more effective than simulation and routine practice in decreasing children’s anxiety, increasing satisfaction, and reducing the use of anesthesia for MRs.

Keywords: anesthesia; children; magnetic resonance imaging; patient-centered communication; toy simulation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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