Jun Liu1, Xin Zheng2, Shouxia Chai3, Meirong Lei4, Zehui Feng5, Xuelin Zhang6, Violeta Lopez7. 1. Department of General Surgery, Dongfeng Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China. Electronic address: lauheart@163.com. 2. Department of General Surgery, Dongfeng Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China. Electronic address: zhengxin19740912@163.com. 3. College of Nursing, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China. Electronic address: 44201040@qq.com. 4. College of Nursing, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China. Electronic address: 365680322@qq.com. 5. Department of General Surgery, Dongfeng Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China. Electronic address: 779557213@qq.com. 6. College of Nursing, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China. Electronic address: 1040114891@qq.com. 7. Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Young Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore. Electronic address: nurvl@nus.edu.sg.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effects of WeChat-assisted perioperative instructions for parents whose children were to undergo herniorrhaphy. METHOD: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in a day surgery center in China. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (WeChat) group (n = 209) and the control (Leaflet) group (n = 209). The primary outcomes of this study were parents' knowledge regarding hernia and rate of cancellation of children's surgery. The secondary outcomes were the rate of lost-to-follow-up and the rate of complications and adverse events during the seventh postoperative follow-up day. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the rate of cancelling the surgery and the mean knowledge score between the WeChat group and leaflet groups. The lost-to-follow-up rate was significantly lower in the WeChat group (0.54%) than in the leaflet group (3.66%). The incidence of postoperative complications were higher in the control group. CONCLUSIONS:WeChat-assisted perioperative care instructions enhanced parents' knowledge on perioperative instructions and promoted the preparation of their children for day surgery resulting in lower rate of cancelling the surgery. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: WeChat has the ability to expand health services outside the hospital confines and could be used as an important low-cost health educational medium in China.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effects of WeChat-assisted perioperative instructions for parents whose children were to undergo herniorrhaphy. METHOD: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in a day surgery center in China. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (WeChat) group (n = 209) and the control (Leaflet) group (n = 209). The primary outcomes of this study were parents' knowledge regarding hernia and rate of cancellation of children's surgery. The secondary outcomes were the rate of lost-to-follow-up and the rate of complications and adverse events during the seventh postoperative follow-up day. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the rate of cancelling the surgery and the mean knowledge score between the WeChat group and leaflet groups. The lost-to-follow-up rate was significantly lower in the WeChat group (0.54%) than in the leaflet group (3.66%). The incidence of postoperative complications were higher in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: WeChat-assisted perioperative care instructions enhanced parents' knowledge on perioperative instructions and promoted the preparation of their children for day surgery resulting in lower rate of cancelling the surgery. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: WeChat has the ability to expand health services outside the hospital confines and could be used as an important low-cost health educational medium in China.
Authors: Li Li; Jia Huang; Jingsong Wu; Cai Jiang; Shanjia Chen; Guanli Xie; Jinxin Ren; Jing Tao; Chetwyn C H Chan; Lidian Chen; Alex W K Wong Journal: JMIR Mhealth Uhealth Date: 2020-05-13 Impact factor: 4.773