Effect of Audio-visual aid on Preoperative anxiety and postoperative patient satisfaction in a rural teritiary care center.

Majority of patients who are posted for surgery experience anxiety ¹. A lack of awareness about operation theatre environment and anaesthetic techniques can cause anxiety 2 , 3. Anxiety activates stress responses which in turn leads to increased blood sugar levels, suppression of cellular immune response, raised oxidative demand, tachycardia, raised blood pressure, delayed wound healing 4,5. Patients with anxiety require increased doses of anaesthetics and analgesics 6. Higher doses of induction agents, longer hospital stay, and high incidence of perioperative complications are seen in anxious patients 7. Therefore, information provided by the anesthesiologist during the Preanesthetic Interview (PAI) plays a crucial role in reducing anxiety and enhances better patient outcome 8. Pre anaesthetic interview serves as a good platform to establish patient doctor relationship which will be helpful for providing information about anaesthesia. This will bring forth better educated and informed patients 9.

India is a multilingual country. In rural areas most patients speak regional language and doctors may not know to communicate in regional language. This language barrier can cause poor communication, misinterpretation, dissatisfaction, and poor patient outcome. Not all patients are literate enough to read and understand an information form. Complexity of these forms may prevent patients from fully understanding the information provided or patients may simply refuse to read the material. Nonetheless, written information requires basic literacy skills and motivation to read the material.

With the technological advances, audio visual aids have become an essential part of our education and communication. Incorporating this in our standard health care services can help bridge the communication gap.  It can empower rural patients with knowledge and understanding of anaesthesia which in turn reduces anxiety and improve patient satisfaction.             Primary aim of the study will be to assess the impact of standard preanaesthesia verbal instructions versus verbal instructions and audio-visual aid on anxiety during preoperative period.

Secondary aim will be to assess postoperative satisfaction in both the groups