Impact of mHealth on Informed Consent for General Anaesthesia in a Low to Middle-Income Country: A Double- Blind Randomized Control Trial

Impact of mHealth on Informed Consent for General Anaesthesia in a Low to Middle-Income Country: A Double- Blind Randomized Control Trial
Vitalis Mung’ayi, David Nekyon, Jasmit Shah
International Journal of Anesthetics and Anesthesiology, June 2023
Open Access
Abstract
Background
Complimentary methods to support the anaesthesia consent process are underutilized in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Objective
To establish whether patients who access a mobile health (mHealth) application following a preanaesthesia review have better knowledge of the anaesthetic process and higher satisfaction overall than those who receive a patient information leaflet.
Study population
Adult patients for elective surgery under general anaesthesia at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi.
Methodology
This was a double-blind randomized control trial conducted between January and May 2019, with patients randomized to either an mHealth application or an information leaflet. The proportion of patients in each arm who achieved a set score of 9 on a survey designed to test knowledge was evaluated.
Results
A total of 72 patients were recruited. While there was no difference in baseline knowledge between the two groups, 71.8% of those in the mHealth group and 17% in the leaflet group achieved the set score of 9 (p < 0.001). A greater proportion of patients without previous anaesthetic experience were very satisfied with the information given.
Conclusions
mHealth is a viable tool for information dissemination for patients in LMICs scheduled for surgery under anaesthesia, and a useful adjunct to the preanaesthesia review.