Combined Effects of Visual and Contextual Information on Fear Responses to Cast Cutter Sounds

Research on medical sound includes dental noise, MRI noise reduction, and alarm design. Similar phenomena may occur with cast cutters; however, the factors contributing to patients’ fear remain unclear. This study aimed to clarify the components of auditory impressions of cast cutter sound during the pre-procedure phase, and to examine the effects of audiovisual conditions, safety-related contextual information, prior cast removal experience, and sound pressure level. Factor analysis identified three factors: terror/discomfort, intensity, and tension/meaninglessness. Presenting both visual and auditory modalities reduced intensity and tension/meaninglessness. The combination of prior experience and contextual information reduced terror/discomfort and intensity, whereas either factor alone increased them. Higher sound pressure levels increased terror/discomfort and intensity, particularly among participants without prior experience.