THE IMPACT OF PRE-OPERATIVE MULTIMEDIA EDUCATION VERSUS STANDARD VERBAL CONSENT ON PATIENT ANXIETY AND UNDERSTANDING BEFORE ELECTIVE SURGERY
- Authors
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Muhammad Fahad Imtiaz
Author
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Farah Niaz Awan
Author
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- Keywords:
- Anxiety; Elective Surgical Procedures; Informed Consent; Multimedia; Patient Education; Perioperative Care; Randomized Controlled Trial
- Abstract
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Background: Pre-operative anxiety and inadequate understanding of surgical procedures remain common challenges that influence patient experience and perioperative outcomes. Conventional verbal consent often varies in depth and clarity, leading to inconsistencies in patient preparedness. Multimedia education has emerged as a promising approach to enhance comprehension and reduce emotional distress before surgery.
Objective: To compare the effectiveness of a structured multimedia education module with standard verbal consent in reducing pre-operative anxiety and improving procedural understanding among patients undergoing elective surgery.
Methods: This randomized controlled trial included 150 adult patients scheduled for elective surgery in South Punjab. Participants were allocated to either a multimedia education group or a standard verbal consent group. Anxiety levels were measured at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and on the morning of surgery using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (state subscale). Procedural understanding was assessed through a structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using parametric statistical tests, with significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: Both groups demonstrated reductions in anxiety following their respective interventions; however, the multimedia group showed greater improvement. Mean morning-of-surgery anxiety scores were lower in the multimedia group than the verbal consent group. Procedural understanding was significantly higher among participants who received multimedia education, indicating more accurate recall of surgical information. All outcomes demonstrated normally distributed data and complete follow-up.
Conclusion: Multimedia-based education proved more effective than standard verbal consent in reducing pre-operative anxiety and enhancing patient understanding before elective surgery. Integrating such tools into routine surgical counselling can strengthen patient preparedness and improve the overall pre-operative experience.
- Author Biographies
- References
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- 2024-10-31
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Copyright (c) 2024 Muhammad Fahad Imtiaz, Farah Niaz Awan (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
