The Effects of Short Interactive Animation Video Information on Preanesthetic Anxiety, Knowledge, and Interview Time: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: We designed an interactive animated video that provides a basic explanation-including the risks, benefits, and alternatives-of anesthetic procedures. We hypothesized that this video would improve patient understanding of anesthesia, reduce anxiety, and shorten the interview time. METHODS: Two hundred eleven patients scheduled for cancer surgery under general anesthesia or combined general and epidural anesthesia, who were admitted at least 1 day before the surgery, were randomly assigned to the video group (n = 106) or the no-video group (n = 105). The patients in the video group were asked to watch a short interactive animation video in the ward. After watching the video, the patients were visited by an anesthesiologist who performed a preanesthetic interview and routine risk assessment. The patients in the no-video group were also visited by an anesthesiologist, but were not asked to watch the video. In both groups, the patients were asked to complete the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and a 14-point scale of knowledge test before the anesthesiologist's visit and on the day of surgery. We also measured interview time. RESULTS: There was no demographic difference between the 2 groups. The interview time was 34.4% shorter (video group, 12.2 +/- 5.3 minutes, vs. no-video group, 18.6 +/- 6.4 minutes; 95% confidence interval [CI] for the percentage reduction in time: 32.7%-44.3%), and knowledge of anesthesia was 11.6% better in the video group (score 12.5 +/- 1.4 vs. no-video group score 11.2 +/- 1.7; 95% CI for the percentage increase in knowledge: 8.5%-13.9%). However, there was no difference in preanesthetic anxiety between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: Our short interactive animation video helped patients' understanding of anesthesia and reduced anesthesiologists' interview time. (Anesth Analg 2011;112:1314-8)