Impact of Art Therapy on Self-Reported Pain and Anxiety Scores of Patients Waiting to Be Seen in the Emergency Department

Impact of Art Therapy on Self-Reported Pain and Anxiety Scores of Patients Waiting to Be Seen in the Emergency Department

Impact of Art Therapy on Self-Reported Pain and Anxiety Scores of Patients Waiting to Be Seen in the Emergency Department

The objective of this research is to assess the effects of engaging in coloring activities on patients' self-reported pain and anxiety scores while they wait to be seen by a physician in an emergency department (ED). The current literature on patient visits in the ED highlights the significance of anxiety, stress, and frustration in patient experiences, especially when accounting for long wait times before the physician-patient encounter. The study will address this common problem by looking at the potential impact of nature-themed or geometric shape coloring activities on the ED patient experience as it relates to self-reported anxiety and pain scores. Given that long wait times are increasingly being reported across the country, this study may offer a possible meaningful low-budget, low-resource intervention which could be offered to patients.

This is a randomized, four-armed prospective interventional study that will test the effect of nature-based coloring activities on patients' pain and anxiety scores during their ED visit. The study will consist of three intervention groups and one active control group.

Change in self-reported Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety (HADS-A) Score following art therapy intervention (0-21, 21 = most anxious)

Change in self-reported numerical pain score following art therapy intervention (0-10, 10 = the worst pain)

Correlation between Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety (HADS-A) Score or pain score and colors selected by patient to use during art therapy

Inclusion Criteria: Triage Pain Score > 3 Age >18 Able to provide informed consent English-speaking without concern for aggressive behavior Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 15 Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety (HADS-A) Score > 6 Exclusion Criteria: Concern for aggression risk, including active concern for suicidal or homicidal ideations Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) <15 triage acuity requiring critical care evaluation