Caregiver health literacy in children's surgical care
Health Literacy and Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) in the Perioperative Setting
This tests whether caregivers' health literacy and social circumstances are linked to caregiver anxiety before outpatient pediatric surgeries and to children's pain after surgery.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 200 (estimated) |
| Ages | 3 Years to 17 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Nationwide Children's Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Columbus, Ohio) |
| Trial ID | NCT07138482 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This observational study uses questionnaires to measure caregiver health literacy, social determinants of health, preoperative caregiver anxiety, and postoperative patient pain for children having common outpatient surgeries. Caregivers who speak English, Spanish, Arabic, Nepali, or Somali are enrolled at a single pediatric center and complete surveys around the time of their child's procedure. The study excludes children with higher anesthetic risk, chronic pain, inpatient stays, or those receiving regional anesthesia. Data will be analyzed to identify associations between social factors, caregiver literacy, anxiety, and patient pain outcomes.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Caregivers of children aged 3–17 undergoing ambulatory dental rehabilitation, orchiopexy, inguinal hernia repair, or tonsillectomy (with or without adenoidectomy or ear tubes) who speak English, Spanish, Arabic, Nepali, or Somali are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Caregivers of children with ASA physical status ≥3, chronic pain conditions, inpatient procedures, or those whose children receive regional anesthesia are excluded and unlikely to benefit from this study's findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the results could help hospitals tailor preoperative information and support for caregivers to reduce anxiety and improve children's postoperative pain management.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has linked low caregiver health literacy to worse pediatric outcomes in other settings, but applying these concepts specifically to perioperative caregiver anxiety and postoperative pediatric pain is less well studied.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Caregivers of children age 3-17 years * Patient undergoing ambulatory dental rehabilitation, orchiopexy, inguinal hernia repair, or tonsillectomy +/- adenoidectomy +/- ear tubes under general anesthesia. * Primary language must be English, Spanish, Arabic, Nepali, or Somali. Exclusion Criteria: * ASA ≥ 3 * chronic pain condition * inpatient * regional anesthesia.
Where this trial is running
Columbus, Ohio
- Nationwide Children's Hospital — Columbus, Ohio, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Catherine Roth, MPH
- Email: catherine.roth@nationwidechildrens.org
- Phone: 614-722-2997
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.