Allaying paediatric preoperative anxiety, Where Are We Now? – A nationwide survey

Preoperative anxiety (PA) in children is a common phenomenon associated with medical environments. PA is associated with immediate adverse outcomes, both behavioural and clinical .  Due to the immediate and potentially more long-term negative effects of PA, a number of prevention and intervention strategies have been examined to alleviate anxiety and decrease the development of negative behaviours post-surgery. Both pharmacological (e.g., sedative premedication) and nonpharmacological (e.g., parental presence, video-distraction, behavioural preparation programs, music etc.) approaches have proven useful. Considering the high incidence and the associated adverse outcomes it would be worthwhile to know if these anxiety relieving practices are being followed in our country. A nationwide survey may possibly shed some more light on the practice patterns which are not well documented and have been described only in the British literature. It  may help identify the unreported hurdles to it’s implementation and bridge the lacunae in the existing literature. We therefore designed this mailing survey to assess the current practices of prevention and treatment of PA in children among the anaesthesiologists in India with the hope of contributing to the future establishment of a standardised nationwide practice. The questionnaire is prepared in English, has three sections:

Section 1: Demographic data of the respondent

Section 2: Anxiety relieving strategies

2a. Sedative premedication (including special situations)

2b. Behavioural interventions/non-pharmacological methods

Section 3: Attitude

The questionnaire will be distributed via E�’mail or electronic media to the members of the Indian Society of Anaesthesiologists. Two reminders 10 days apart will be sent to those who do not respond. Participants will be requested to fill the questionnaire only once. Completion and submission of questionnaire by the respondents will imply their consent. To maintain respondent anonymity, no personal identifying information will be enquired in the survey.