Study: Digital tool detects preoperative pediatric anxiety, depression

Editor's Note

A recent study presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ 2024 meeting reveals that a computerized mental health assessment, KCAT, may effectively identify anxiety and depression in pediatric surgical patients.

According to an October 20 report in Anesthesiology News, the single-center pilot study involved 65 children aged 7 to 18 who were scheduled for elective surgeries. More than half (57%) of the children showed signs of anxiety, while over one-third (34%) screened positive for depression.

According to the article, “Increased anxiety can contribute to the child being uncooperative during anesthetic induction, as well as prolonged recovery, increased postoperative pain and delirium, and decreased patient satisfaction. With thousands of children undergoing surgery every year, having a comprehensive yet quick method to screen for these conditions is needed.”

Administered via tablet, KCAT does not require a clinician to administer. In the pilot study, it provided preoperative mental health assessments with an average completion time of just over two minutes. “The ability to rapidly assess for and capture anxiety and depression levels can allow providers to offer a variety of anxiety-reducing options prior to and after surgery to the patients who would benefit the most,” said co-author Sarah Nizamuddin, MD.