Increased patient information does not reduce patient anxiety regarding urodynamic studies

Abstract

Objective: To establish if patient anxiety pre-urodynamic investigation can be reduced by providing more information within the patient information sheet (PIS).

Patients and methods: Two prospective cohorts of consecutive patients (round 1, n = 98 and round 2, n = 94) were asked to complete a visual analogue scale (VAS) quantifying their anxiety prior to urodynamics (UDS) and again after UDS quantifying their anxiety of potentially repeating UDS. Patients in round 1 received the standard hospital PIS. Concurrently with round 1, a parallel group of patients (n = 95) completed a questionnaire regarding their experience of UDS and their post-UDS complications. This information was incorporated into a revised PIS used in round 2.

Results: In both rounds, the VAS reduced post-UDS (Wilcoxon matched-pairs test p < 0.001). In females, pre-UDS VAS was significantly higher in round 2 than round 1 (Mann-Whitney U test p = 0.037). In males, pre-UDS VAS was lower in round 2 than round 1, but this difference was not statistically significant (Mann-Whitney U test p = 0.112). Post-UDS VAS was remarkably similar between round 1 and 2.

Conclusions: Patients are less anxious about having repeat UDS regardless of the depth of information provided. However, more detailed information before UDS failed to significantly reduce patient anxiety.