title: Effect of previous anesthesia experience on patients' knowledge and desire for information about anesthesia and the anesthesiologist: a 500 patients' survey from Greece.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed at assessing the effect of previous anesthesia experience on patients' knowledge of anesthesia and the role of anesthesiologists, on what they would want to know about anesthesia and the way they would like to be informed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires with fixed questions were distributed to consenting, consecutive surgical patients before the pre-anesthetic visit. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with previous anesthesia experience (Group A) and patients without previous anesthesia experience (Group B). The questionnaires included patients' demographics, questions related to their knowledge about the anesthesiologists' role and about their desire for information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  500 questionnaires were analyzed. The majority of patients (94.2%) know that the anesthesiologist is a specialized doctor and 89.2% believe that the anesthesiologist watches over the patient throughout surgery. These results were similar in both groups. The majority of patients (98.2%) also want to meet the anesthesiologist before surgery and 78% want even more information. Only 65.6% want to be aware of all possible complications, in both groups, while 17.6% do not want to know anything about complications. In general, answers to specific questions regarding what the patients want to know about anesthesia did not differ between groups. The vast majority of patients wish to talk with the anesthesiologist before surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Previous anesthesia experience did not seem to influence patients' desire for meeting the anesthesiologist and seeking information. A strong desire to personally meet the anesthesiologist is expressed and patients' desire for even more information is noted.
authors.affiliation: Hatzikosta General Hospital, Anesthesiology Department, Ioannina, Greece. voulam@otenet.gr
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mavridou
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dimitriou
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papadopoulou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manataki
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arnaoutoglou
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000758:Anesthesia / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology*; D000776:Anesthesiology; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000009:adverse effects; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013038:Specialization; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics