Graphic Novel for Patients Undergoing EUS-FNB

Endoscopy with endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a primary technique for diagnosing and treating severe pancreatic disorders. However, the procedure can cause fear and anxiety in patients, especially when a biopsy is involved. Graphic medicine, a form of visual storytelling that explores narratives of healthcare, is being used to alleviate this anxiety. This is a prospective single-center interventional pilot study with the aim to evaluate the impact of a novel graphic on the stress and behaviors of patients with pancreatic lesions undergoing EUS-FNB. The study will run for six months with the aim to enroll patients to llok for differences in the anxiety and stress levels. Enrolled patients will be randomly allocated to the test or control group, with the test group receiving a graphic novel to read while waiting for the procedure. Post-procedure, patients will complete the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and a modified version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (mDASS-21), now named mASS-14 (modified Anxiety Stress Scales-14), to assess anxiety and stress levels. This study is conducted according to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki regarding experimentation involving human subjects, and written informed consent will be obtained from all participants before enrollment.