Anxiety responses of 5- to 11-year-old children during and after hospitalization

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Childhood Anxiety Disorders
• Healthcare Experiences in Children

Background:

• Hospitalization is a common stressor for children.
• Understanding children's anxiety during and after hospitalization is crucial for effective care.
• Previous research has explored parental anxiety, but children's perspectives require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine anxiety responses in children aged 5-11 during and after hospitalization.
• To analyze changes in anxiety levels over time (admission, discharge, posthospitalization).
• To investigate the relationship between children's anxiety and factors like age, sex, hospitalization duration, prior admissions, and parental anxiety.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 52 children aged 5-11 years participated.
• Anxiety levels were assessed from the children's perspective at multiple time points.
• Statistical analyses examined anxiety changes and correlations with demographic and clinical variables.

Main Results:

• Children reported decreased anxiety from admission to discharge.
• Anxiety levels remained relatively stable from discharge to the posthospitalization period.
• Younger children (5-7 years), boys, and first-time admitted children exhibited higher anxiety and less reduction over time.
• Higher parental anxiety was associated with increased child anxiety.

Conclusions:

• Children's anxiety decreases during hospitalization but persists post-discharge.
• Specific subgroups (younger children, boys, first-time admissions) require targeted support.
• Findings inform clinical practices to mitigate pediatric anxiety and guide future research on hospitalization impacts.