The Effect of an Undersea-Themed ECG Cover on Fear and Anxiety Levels in Children (UTETC)

Ankara University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Fear; Anxiety

Treatments: Other: distraciton technices

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07201350

UTETC

Details and patient eligibility

About

Aims: To evaluate the impact of an undersea-themed examination table cover (UTETC) designed for electrocardiography (ECG) procedures on fear and anxiety levels in children.

Background: Children may experience fear and anxiety not only during painful procedures but also during painless interventions such as ECG. The unfamiliar environment, equipment, and separation from caregivers can contribute to emotional distress.

Design: This is a single-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Methods: The study was conducted with 80 children aged 3-12 years who underwent ECG procedures in a pediatric emergency department. Participants were randomly assigned to either the control group (n = 40) or the intervention group (n = 40) using block randomization. Data were collected using the Child Fear Scale and the Children's Emotional Manifestation Scale.

Relevance to Clinical Practice: The UTETC represents a potential non-pharmacological intervention aimed at improving the emotional comfort of children during ECG procedures.

Enrollment: 80 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 3 to 12 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Children aged 3 to 12 years
• Presented to the hospital with chest pain
• No previous history of heart disease
• Chest pain with a non-cardiac etiology (e.g., gastrointestinal disorders)
• Undergoing their first ECG

Exclusion criteria

-Reported fear of water, being underwater, or swimming

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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80 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention

Experimental group

Treatment:

Other: distraciton technices

Control

No Intervention group