Related Experiment Videos
[Quality of life of hospitalized children: a survey]
M A Coniglio1, G Giammanco, P Mertoli
1Dipartimento "G. F. Ingrassia" - Igiene e Sanità Pubblica - Università degli Studi di Catania.
Insights
Hospitalization impacts children's psychological wellbeing. This study reveals children's needs for better communication and dining facilities during hospital stays to improve their quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychology
- Child Health Outcomes
- Hospital Environment Studies
Context:
- Hospitalization significantly affects children's psychological wellbeing.
- Understanding children's perceived quality of life is crucial for developing effective interventions.
- Previous research highlights the need for improved pediatric patient experiences.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the perceived quality of life among children during their hospital stay.
- To identify specific areas of dissatisfaction and satisfaction in the hospital environment for pediatric patients.
- To inform the development of targeted prevention programs for hospitalized children.
Summary:
- 270 children (aged 3-14) in Catania, Italy, were interviewed about their hospital experience.
- High satisfaction with hospital appearance (68%) and rooms (74%), but significant dissatisfaction with cafeteria absence (80%) and food quality (31%).
- Positive feedback on recreational activities like play (91%), TV (98%), and computer use (66%), yet schooling interruption (47%) and communication difficulties (66%) were noted.
Impact:
- Results underscore the necessity for enhancing healthcare personnel communication skills with pediatric patients.
- Recommendations include establishing communal dining facilities to improve social interaction and mealtime experiences.
- Findings provide actionable insights for hospitals to improve the overall quality of life for hospitalized children.
Abstract:
Knowledge of the negative effects that hospitalization can have on the psychological wellbeing of children can be useful to plan prevention programs. The aim of this study was to evaluate children's perceived quality of life during their hospital stay. Overall 270 children (132 boys and 138 girls) aged 3-14 years, hospitalized in one of four hospitals in Catania (Italy) in the first trimester of 2007 were interviewed. Approximately 68% of interviewed children reported being satisfied with the hospital appearance and 74% with their room. However, 80% complained of the lack of a cafeteria and 31% reported that the quality of food was poor. Ninety-one percent of children were satisfied or extremely satisfied with play opportunities, almost 98% had the possibility of watching television and 66% used a computer during their hospital stay. Only 53% of interviewed children had not interrupted their schooling. In addition, only 34% had no difficulty in understanding what was said to them by healthcare personnel. The results of this study show the need to improve communication skills of healthcare personnel and promote opportunities for sharing mealtimes in a common environment in order to reduce the discomforts of hospitalization.
Related Concept Videos
00:59Hospitals-II
Nurses that work in hospitals have...
01:28Hospitals-I