title: Usefulness of a bidirectional e-learning material for explaining surgical anesthesia to cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We developed an e-learning system, which is based on an interactive animation video that assists anesthesiologists in preanesthetic interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  First, the feasibility of the system was investigated in 18 anesthesiologists and 95 volunteers from the general public. Content/quantity, operability, and satisfaction were assessed with a five-point scale. Secondly, a randomized controlled trial was conducted on 211 cancer patients who were scheduled to undergo general anesthesia. They were divided into an e-learning group (n = 106) and a control group (n = 105). The patients in the e-learning group watched the interactive animation before a preanesthetic interview by an anesthesiologist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 10 of the 11 items for content/quantity, operability, and satisfaction, the average score for both anesthesiologists and volunteers was ≥3.0 in feasibility study. Then, the level of patient comprehension of preoperative rounds and postoperative complications in the e-learning group was significantly higher than that in the control group (mean: 4.4 ± 0.5 versus 4.1 ± 0.7, P = 0.003, and 4.3 ± 0.5 versus 4.2 ± 0.5, P = 0.02); however, no significant difference in anxiety was seen between the two groups. Patient satisfaction in the e-learning group was significantly higher (mean: 4.3 ± 0.5 versus 4.0 ± 0.6, P = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The e-learning system is an effective supplementary tool for preanesthetic interviews in cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Advanced Molecular Epidemiology Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata University, Yamagata. Electronic address: hiroto-narimatsu@umin.net.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Narimatsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kakinuma
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sawa
authors.affiliation: The 3rd Department of Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Ichihara Hospital, Chiba.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Komatsu
authors.affiliation: Division of Social Communication System for Advanced Clinical Research, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.affiliation: Division of Social Communication System for Advanced Clinical Research, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kami
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000379:methods*; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000379:methods*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control; D001296:Audiovisual Aids; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014741:Video Recording; D055815:Young Adult