Comparison the Effect of Two Methods of Listening and Reading Tales on Anxiety and Sleep Onest Time among 8-12 Years Old Hospitalized Children with Fracture: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Disease and hospitalization inducing anxiety in children may cause sleep disturbances and delay the recovery process. Children are more vulnerable to illness crisis and hospitalization because of the limited adaptive mechanism to resolve stressors. Evidence suggests reading books, listening to stories, and activities that promote healthy sleep and reduce anxiety in healthy children. Given the importance of sleep and anxiety in the recovery process of sick children, this study aimed to investigate the effect of hearing and reading stories on anxiety and sleep duration of children with fractures aged 8 to 12 years admitted in Shohada Hospital in Tabriz in 2018. Methods: This is a randomized clinical trial study performed on 102 children with extremity fracture in Shohada Hospital of Tabriz in 2018-2019 during two consecutive days (first and second day of hospitalization).Subjects were selected by random sampling method and then were randomly divided into three groups: control group, story-telling group and simultaneous listening and story-telling group. Data were collected using the demographic Information Questionnaire, questions related to sleep onest, heart rate and RCMAS (Reynolds and Richmond Children's Anxiety Questionnaire) and were analyzed by SPSS 23 software. Results: The results showed that there was no significant difference between the groups in the duration of sleep on the first night (p = 0.23) and the second night (p = 0.50). Also, there was no significant difference between the three groups in the level of anxiety on the first day (p = 0.32) and the second day (p = 0.39). There was also no significant difference between the scores of anxiety (p = 0.80) and sleep (p = 0.19) in the three groups. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that reading and listening to the story does not have an effect on reducing anxiety and sleeping time in children with fracture and hospitalized on the second day. Therefore, other non-pharmacological interventions such as play therapy, especially to reduce anxiety in children, music, yoga, exercise, deep breathing, acupuncture, massage, distraction etc. can be used and tested in these situations to improve children's sleep.