The effect of video use on the anxiety levels of parents of children undergoing orchiopexy: a prospective randomized controlled study

Abstract

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 educaand State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores were obtained preoperatively and 1 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 = .029, P = .008, P = .007, P = .041, P = .043, respectively). Bilateral cases had higher anxiety and depression scores (P = .019). Multimedia use was more effective in parents with higher education (P = .001). CONCLUSION 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. UROLOGY 205: 180-186, 2025. (c) 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.