Morgan, JudithIyambo, Fenni Megameno2025-09-302025-09-302025http://hdl.handle.net/11070/4143A thesis in partial fulfilment for the requirements for the Degree of Master of Medicine (Anesthesiology, Critical care and Pain management)Introduction: Parental presence reduces children’s anxiety, improve the anaesthetic induction and has been shown to increase parental satisfaction This study investigated the impact of parental presence on preoperative anxiety and cooperation among paediatric patients undergoing general anaesthesia induction. Methodology: A cross-sectional quasi-experimental trial was conducted at Intermediate Hospital Oshakati, involving 104 pediatric patients aged 2 to 10 years undergoing elective minor and major operations. Anxiety levels were assessed using the Modified YALE Preoperative Anxiety Score (mYPAS) in both the waiting area and theatre, while induction compliance was measured using the Induction Compliance Checklist (ICC). Statistical analysis included Welch's t-test and Chi Square Test, with a critical significance level of 0.05. Results: Results indicated that parental presence during induction significantly improved pediatric cooperation (p<0.001) and reduced anxiety levels in the theatre (p < 0.001. Moreover, notable differences in anxiety levels and compliance were observed between different age groups. Younger children (2 to 5 years) displayed higher anxiety levels in the theatre compared to older children (6 to 10 years) with P value 0.004. Interestingly, no significant differences in anxiety levels or compliance were found between patients undergoing minor and major surgeries. Conclusion: The study underscores the significance of considering both parental presence and age when managing anxiety and promoting cooperation in pediatric patients undergoing inhalational induction. Age also plays a role, with younger children experiencing higher theatre anxiety. Recommendations: The findings suggest promoting parental presence, developing age-specific strategies, and providing pre-operative education to alleviate anxiety and enhance cooperation among pediatric patientsenPaediatricPreoperative anxietyParental presenceAnaesthesia inductionAge-specific strategiesNamibiaUniversity of NamibiaThesis