RT Journal
A1 Tey H, Tan E, Tan F, Tan K, Lim I, Tan A
T1 Reducing anxiety levels in preschool children undergoing cryotherapy for cutaneous viral warts: Use of a portable video player
JF Archives of Dermatology
JO Archives of Dermatology
YR 2012
FD September 1
VO 148
IS 9
SP 1001
OP 1004
DO 10.1001/archdermatol.2012.1656
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archdermatol.2012.1656
AB Objective 
                  To determine if watching a children's program on a portable video player reduces anxiety levels in preschool children before cryotherapy for cutaneous viral warts.Design 
                  Nonblinded before-after trial.Setting 
                  General dermatology clinic.Participants 
                  Consecutive patients aged 2 to 6 years who underwent cryotherapy for cutaneous viral warts.Intervention 
                  Patients were shown a children's program on a portable video player before cryotherapy.Main Outcome Measure 
                  Mean score difference on the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale between children treated during the 10 weeks before vs the 10 weeks after the intervention was implemented.Results 
                  Ninety-nine cryotherapy sessions performed among 35 children were evaluated. Fifteen children underwent cryotherapy during the preintervention phase only, and 13 children underwent cryotherapy during the intervention phase only. The mean modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale scores were 58.4 during the preintervention phase and 37.7 during the intervention phase (P = .005). The percentages of children with a high anxiety score (≥30) were 100% (15 of 15) during the preintervention phase and 38% (5 of 13) during the intervention phase (P < .001). Another 7 children underwent cryotherapy during both the preintervention and intervention phases. Their mean modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale scores were 53.7 during the preintervention phase and 42.0 during the intervention phase (P = .03). The percentages of children with a high anxiety score were 86% (6 of 7) during the intervention phase and 43% (3 of 7) during the intervention phase (P = .25). In both groups, the time spent coaxing and treating children decreased after the intervention, but the differences were not statistically significant.Conclusion 
                  The use of a portable video player significantly reduced preprocedural anxiety levels in preschool children undergoing cryotherapy for cutaneous viral warts.