Benjamin R Heilbrunn1, Rachael E Wittern2, Justin B Lee2, Phung K Pham3, Anita H Hamilton4, Alan L Nager5. 1. Department of Pediatrics, The University of Chicago Medicine, Comer Children's Hospital, Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Chicago, Illinois. 2. Clinical Trials Unit, Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, California. 3. Division of Emergency and Transport Medicine, Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, California. 4. Children's Orthopedic Center, Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, California; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California. 5. Division of Emergency and Transport Medicine, Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, California; Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:Anxiety among patients in a pediatric emergency department (PED) can be significant, but often goes unaddressed. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine whether exposure to Child Life (CL) or hospital clowning (HC) can reduce anxiety in children presenting to a PED. METHODS: Patients were randomized to CL, HC, or control and assessed upon entry to examination room (T1), before physician arrival (T2), and during physician examination (T3), using the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS). CL and HC interventions occurred for 5 to 10 min before physician entry. Effects were analyzed using mixed analysis of variance. RESULTS:m-YPAS scores ranged from 23 to 59, with a higher score indicating increased anxiety. Mixed analysis of variance on the study sample (n = 113) showed a significant interaction between groups (CL, HC, control) and time (p = 0.02). Additional analyses indicated effect of group only at T2 (CL: mean = 23.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] 23.2-24.5; HC: mean 25.2; 95% CI 24.2-26.2; control: mean = 26.1; 95% CI 24.2-27.9; p = .02). Subanalysis of patients with T1 m-YPAS score ≥ 28 (n = 56) showed a significant interaction between group and time (p = 0.01). Additional analysis showed effect of group only at T2 (CL: mean 24.4; 95% CI 23.3-25.6; HC: mean 27.0; 95% CI 25.2-28.7; control: mean 29.2; 95% CI 25.6-32.7; p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS:CL services can reduce state anxiety for patients presenting to a PED with heightened anxiety at baseline. This reduction occurred immediately after CL intervention, but was not observed in patients exposed to HC or during physician examination.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND:Anxiety among patients in a pediatric emergency department (PED) can be significant, but often goes unaddressed. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine whether exposure to Child Life (CL) or hospital clowning (HC) can reduce anxiety in children presenting to a PED. METHODS:Patients were randomized to CL, HC, or control and assessed upon entry to examination room (T1), before physician arrival (T2), and during physician examination (T3), using the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS). CL and HC interventions occurred for 5 to 10 min before physician entry. Effects were analyzed using mixed analysis of variance. RESULTS: m-YPAS scores ranged from 23 to 59, with a higher score indicating increased anxiety. Mixed analysis of variance on the study sample (n = 113) showed a significant interaction between groups (CL, HC, control) and time (p = 0.02). Additional analyses indicated effect of group only at T2 (CL: mean = 23.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] 23.2-24.5; HC: mean 25.2; 95% CI 24.2-26.2; control: mean = 26.1; 95% CI 24.2-27.9; p = .02). Subanalysis of patients with T1 m-YPAS score ≥ 28 (n = 56) showed a significant interaction between group and time (p = 0.01). Additional analysis showed effect of group only at T2 (CL: mean 24.4; 95% CI 23.3-25.6; HC: mean 27.0; 95% CI 25.2-28.7; control: mean 29.2; 95% CI 25.6-32.7; p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: CL services can reduce state anxiety for patients presenting to a PED with heightened anxiety at baseline. This reduction occurred immediately after CL intervention, but was not observed in patients exposed to HC or during physician examination.
Authors: Michelle D Stevenson; Christine M Bivins; Kitty O'Brien; Javier A Gonzalez del Rey Journal: Pediatr Emerg Care Date: 2005-11 Impact factor: 1.454
Authors: Leah I Stein Duker; Anita R Schmidt; Phung K Pham; Sofronia M Ringold; Alan L Nager Journal: Front Pediatr Date: 2021-01-05 Impact factor: 3.418
Authors: Michael Schlegelmilch; Salima Punja; Hsing Jou; Andrew S Mackie; Jennifer Conway; Bev Wilson; Maria Spavor; Dawn Hartfield; Sunita Vohra Journal: Children (Basel) Date: 2019-05-03