Communication Training for the Preoperative Anesthesia Consultation Reduces Anxiety: A Prospective, Patient-Blinded Pre–Post Intervention Study
Authors' conclusion
A single session of risk communication training for anesthesiologists can significantly enhance the reduction of anesthesia-related anxiety in patients.
Study context
- Population
- Patients attending the preoperative anesthesia consultation
- Participants
- 673 patients
- Exposure
- Intervention vs Control
- Interventionn = 306
- Controln = 367reference
- Outcome
- Anesthesia-related anxiety reduction after the preoperative consultation (STAI-S, numeric rating scale (NRS), Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS))
Methodological detailspatient-blinded, single institution
- Patient-blinded
- Single institution
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Anesthesia-related anxiety reduction
P = 0.003
- Anxiety reduction in all patients
- 85%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Anxiety scores · approximate decrease
| Outcome | Intervention | Control | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| STAI-S drop in patients with high preexisting anxiety (subgroup) | 4.9 | 3.3 | P = 0.033 |
Anesthesia-related anxiety score
- Decrease from 3.5 ± 1.6 to 3.1 ± 1.3 (≈ −11%)
- P = 0.016
Surgery-related anxiety
- Initial surgery-related anxiety higher than anesthesia-related, with similar decrease post-consultation
- 5.0 ± 2.2
Original publication
Communication Training for the Preoperative Anesthesia Consultation Reduces Anxiety: A Prospective, Patient-Blinded Pre–Post Intervention Study. Anesth Analg. Published 14 April 2026. doi:10.
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