PARENTAL PRESENCE DURING INDUCTION OF ANESTHESIA - THE SURGEONS PERSPECTIVE

Parental presence during induction of anesthesia (PPIA) remains contro versial and little is known about surgeons' attitudes toward this clin ical practice. A questionnaire was mailed to all the United States (US ) members of the Surgical Section of the American Academy of Pediatric s and all members of the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons. Q uestions were asked about attitudes toward PPIA in the operating room and the prevalence of such practice. A total of 275 subjects, constitu ting 72.4% of the compared groups, responded after three mailings. Six ty percent of the US respondents and 95% of the Great Britain (GB) res pondents said they disagree with the statement ''parents should never be present during induction of anesthesia''. Ninety-two percent of the GB respondents and 69% of the US respondents thought PPIA decreases a nxiety (p = 0.001) and increases the cooperation of the child (86% GB, versus 53% US, p = 0.001). Most US respondents (72%) reported that PP IA occurs in less than 25% of their cases, but most GB respondents (80 %) reported PPIA in more than 75% of their cases (p = 0.001). These di fferences in prevalence persisted after logistic-regression models wer e used to adjust for potential confounding demographic variables. We c onclude that the attitudes and practice toward PPIA held by surgeons f rom the US and GB differ significantly While a large percentage of the US sample agree that there are benefits in PPIA, only a minority repo rt the routine use of PPIA in contrast to most respondents from GB who report PPIA as routine in their hospital.