Risk factors associated with perioperative anxiety in parents of pediatric patients undergoing thoracic surgery are unknown. It is therefore necessary to identify them in order to better understand, above all, modifiable factors. This will allow the implementation of psychological interventions tailored to the individual needs of parents to strengthen their coping mechanisms before surgery, and thus facilitate the recovery process of their children after surgery.

The purpose of the study is:

1. assessment of the level of anxiety experienced by parents before and after thoracic surgery,
2. assessment of risk factors for parents' perioperative anxiety,
3. assessment of the relationship between parents' perioperative anxiety and satisfaction with postoperative analgesia

According to the literature, parents of children undergoing various types of surgical procedures are accompanied by high levels of anxiety. It was found that the level of anxiety is higher in female parents and is related to the child's age, fear of postoperative pain in children, the scope of information about the course of surgery and anesthesia, and potential complications that may occur during and after the child's operation. Parental anxiety correlates positively with child anxiety. High levels of anxiety in children can lead to many undesirable clinical, psychological and behavioral symptoms during hospitalization (delirium, increased postoperative pain, greater need for analgesia) and after discharge from the hospital (separation anxiety, sleep disorders, aggression, enuresis).

Inclusion Criteria:

• parent of child <18 years
• parent of child undergoing thoracic surgery
• parent of child with intravenous or epidural postoperative analgesia
• parent of child with 1-3 score according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists

Exclusion Criteria:

• a parent of a nationality other than Polish
• difficult communication with parent
• parent of a child undergoing oncological treatment
• parent of a child without chest drainage
• lack of parental consent.

Parents of children undergoing thoracic surgery in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of the Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Rabka Zdrój Branch.