title: The role of individually targeted information to reduce anxiety before colposcopy: a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated whether providing targeted information on an individual level by mail and by phone reduces anxiety in women referred to the colposcopy clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomised controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women referred to the colposcopy clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between December 2007 and April 2010, 169 patients with abnormal smear results were randomised into two study arms. Group A received individually targeted information about the diagnosis and procedure by mail and phone. Group B received the standard folder about colposcopies alone. Patients were requested to fill out a questionnaire prior to their first colposcopy appointment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The questionnaire included the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), and the Spielberger state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), as well as a short self-administered questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty women were excluded from further analyses after randomisation, leaving 149 women for evaluation. The median STAI state anxiety score was high (50.0), but there was no significant difference in median STAI state anxiety and HADS anxiety scores between both groups. However, knowledge about human papillomavirus and the colposcopy procedure did significantly increase in group A (P = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anxiety levels before primary colposcopy are surprisingly high, and are not reduced following individually targeted information given before colposcopy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, the Netherlands. R.deBie@obgyn.umcn.nl
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: de Bie
authors.forename: L F A G
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Massuger
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lenselink
authors.forename: Y H M
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Derksen
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Prins
authors.forename: R L M
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Bekkers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003127:Colposcopy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014626:Vaginal Smears