A Patient Information Leaflet Reduces Parental Anxiety Before Their Child's First Craniofacial Multidisciplinary Outpatient Appointment.

INTRODUCTION: It is expected that a child's first outpatient appointment with a craniofacial multidisciplinary team (MDT) instills anxiety in parents. Limited data exist on the aspects of the appointment that parents are most concerned about and what information they desire. The effect of written information provision on this cohort is unstudied.

METHODS: Parents attending their child's first outpatient appointment with the Birmingham Children's Hospital Craniofacial MDT between September and December 2012 completed a questionnaire to identify concerns they had relating to the appointment. A patient information leaflet was subsequently developed and distributed. From September 2015 to January 2016, questionnaires completed by parents assessed the usefulness of the leaflet and whether it reduced parental anxiety.

RESULTS: Twenty-six initial questionnaires were returned. Seventeen respondents (65%) reported that they were concerned about some aspect of their child's appointment. Twenty-two (86%) expressed a desire for more information surrounding their child's appointment. Thirteen (50%) requested for this information to be provided using a patient information leaflet. After the introduction of the leaflet, 30 questionnaires were returned. All 30 (100.0%) found the leaflet easy to understand. Twenty-nine (96.7%) felt the leaflet provided helpful information. Eighteen (60.0%) felt less worried about the appointment after reading the leaflet.

CONCLUSIONS: The majority of parents of children referred to a craniofacial MDT appointment displayed concerns that related to the appointment itself. Specific information relating to the appointment process itself was desired. A purpose-built leaflet successfully provided parents with desired information and lowered anxiety among the majority of attendees.