TOPICC – Framework for non-pharmacological interventions to manage medical procedure-induced anxiety in children

Medical procedure-induced anxiety (MPIA) has significant short- and long-term negative effects on children, with implications for treatment, recovery, patient satisfaction and cost. Research shows that non?pharmacological interventions can be effective in managing children’s anxiety leading to better outcomes and reduce the need for medicine to control children’s anxiety, thereby mitigating potential side effects and healthcare costs. However, numerous studies have shown that non?pharmacological interventions can be complex and challenging for healthcare professionals. Factors to consider include the individual characteristics and circumstances of the child, available resources, expertise of the healthcare professional, diversity of techniques, time and costs. Complications can also arise in the interactions between adults, including healthcare professionals, and anxious children. Healthcare professionals have a significant role in managing children’s anxiety, but healthcare professionals’ workload and lack of expertise or experience can be significant hindrances. Strategies to guide best practice could help to overcome some of these complexities. This presentation draws on an extensive review of extant literature to present a framework comprising six strategies to guide best practice for healthcare professionals: 1) building trust; 2) giving the child appropriate decisional control; 3) providing procedural and sensory information; 4) applying an individualized age-appropriate approach; 5) employing efficacious coping techniques; and 6) adopting coping-promoting behavior. Non?pharmacological interventions will be used to demonstrate the management of MPIA due to anesthetic gas induction and cannulation. The framework could help overcome the issues and challenges experienced by healthcare professionals when implementing non- pharmacological interventions. Complex skills and experience are necessary for the effective use of non? pharmacological interventions to manage children’s anxiety. The proposed framework could serve as a focal point for the development of training for healthcare professionals. Details of the literature review, on which this presentation is based, are published in the peer-reviewed journal article “Using non? pharmacological interventions to manage medical procedure-induced anxiety in children: a framework to guide best practice” (Goh & Edmonds, 2024).