THE EFFECT OF VIDEO USE ON THE ANXIETY LEVELS OF PARENTS OF CHILDREN UNDERGOING ORCHIOPEXY: A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY.

Objective: To investigate the effect that an educational animated video has on the anxiety and depression levels of parents with children undergoing orchiopexy, a commonly performed surgery in pediatric urology, this study builds on previous findings that preoperative multimedia tools can effectively reduce parental anxiety.

Methods: Parents of children scheduled for orchiopexy between 15/12/2023 and 15/10/2024 were enrolled. Exclusion criteria included prior urological surgery or additional procedures. Children were randomized into two groups. Group 1 received the standard informed consent form and verbal information three days preoperatively, while group 2 additionally watched a 6-minute educational video. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores were obtained preoperatively and one week postoperatively.

Results: Seventy-four children with a median age of 5.5 (1-13) years were randomized into two groups (37 per group). Mothers were primary caregivers in 74.3% of cases. Anxiety and depression scores significantly decreased postoperatively in both groups, except for STAI-II. Group 2 had significantly lower preoperative HADS-T (11-6), BAI (3-1), and STAI-I (41-35) scores and lower postoperative HADS-D (4.5-2) and STAI-I (36.5-26.5) scores (p=0.029, p=0.008, p=0.007, p=0.041, p=0.043, retrospectively). Bilateral cases had higher anxiety and depression scores (p=0.019). Multimedia use was more effective in parents with higher education (p=0.001).

Conclusions: This prospective randomized trial is the first to demonstrate that preoperative multimedia video education significantly reduces anxiety and depression levels in parents of children undergoing orchiopexy.