Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27605131›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of pediatrics2016

Therapeutic clowns in pediatrics: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Kannan Sridharan, Gowri Sivaramakrishnan

Erratum issuedAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of pediatrics, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 41 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
41citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

41 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Medical clowning in hospitalized children: a meta-analysis.World journal of pediatrics : WJP · 2023
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  3. Leisure Programmes in Hospitalised People: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Kannan SridharanDepartment of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Fiji National University, Suva, Fiji. skannandr@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3811-6503
Gowri SivaramakrishnanDepartment of Oral Health, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Fiji National University, Suva, Fiji.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

unlabelledChildren and/or their parents are in fear and anxiety when admitted to hospitals or undergo invasive surgeries or investigations. Clown therapy has been shown as an effective measure in reducing this hospital fear and anxiety. Hence, we carried out a systematic compilation of the existing evidence on the clinical utility of hospital clowns in pediatric population. Electronic databases were searched with an appropriate search strategy, and only randomized controlled trials comparing the effect of clown therapy with standard care in children were included. The key outcome measures were as follows: extent of anxiety and pain felt by children and extent of state and trait parental anxiety. Random effect model was applied when moderate to severe heterogeneity was observed. Forest plot, I(2) statistics and risk of bias were evaluated using RevMan 5.3 software. A total of 19 studies were found eligible to be included in the systematic review and 16 for meta-analysis. The pooled SMD [95 % CI] for child anxiety score was -0.83 [-1.16, -0.51] favoring clown therapy. Similarly, a statistically significant reduction {SMD [95 % CI] -0.46 [-0.7, -0.21]} in the state anxiety was observed amongst parents.

conclusionWe found that hospital clowns play a significant role in reducing stress and anxiety levels in children admitted to hospitals as well as their parents. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Trials with clown doctors in pediatric population have shown conflicting results in allaying anxiety amongst children undergoing either hospitalization or invasive procedures What is new: • This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis on hospital clowns • We found out that hospital clowns reduce anxiety amongst children before undergoing either hospitalization or invasive procedures.

Indexed as

Laughter TherapyAdultAnxietyChildChild, HospitalizedFemaleHospitalizationHumansPain ManagementPain MeasurementParentsPediatricsRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicStress, PsychologicalChildrenHospital clownsMedical clowns

Identifiers

PMID27605131

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.