Real-world application, utility, and satisfaction of the Internet-Delivered Preoperative Preparation Program (I-PPP)

Abstract

Preoperative anxiety affects up to 65% of children undergoing a day surgery procedure. This anxiety is associated with a host of negative behaviours and experiences pre-and post-surgery. The use of technology as a means to prepare children for surgery and prevent the development of anxiety is not new, but past approaches have not been comprehensive. More recent endeavours have sought to provide comprehensive surgery preparation via the Internet. The Internet-delivered Preoperative Preparation Program (I-PPP) was developed for the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital in Saskatchewan as an innovation to address the latter (Wright et al., 2017). The I-PPP is an evidence-based, efficacious, interactive Internet-delivered program comprised of five modules designed to help children prepare for their upcoming day surgery and their parents. However, the 'real-world' uptake of the I-PPP is unknown. The current study sought to expand the existing literature by examining 'real-world' uptake (e.g., completed modules), satisfaction with, and effectiveness of the I-PPP in addressing parent-rated child anxiety and parent self-reported anxiety. Parents of seven children undergoing a day surgery procedure were provided access to the I-PPP; however, only four children (mean age = 4.5 years; SD = 1.29) had their surgery completed at the time of writing. In terms of engagement, 75% of children and 100% of parents accessed all five modules. The average length of time spent engaged with the program for the child version was 29.51 minutes and 19.48 minutes for the parent version. 100% of parents indicated satisfaction with the program, and 100% indicated that they would recommend the program to others. In terms of parent-rated child anxiety and parent self-report anxiety, no significant changes were observed. Study findings will help support the I-PPP integration into pediatric surgery clinical practice at the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital.