Positive Distraction in Pediatric Healthcare Waiting Spaces: Sharing Play Not Germs through Inclusive, Hands-Free...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric healthcare environments
• Child psychology and development
• Healthcare facility design

Background:

• Pediatric healthcare settings often present anxiety-inducing situations for young patients.
• Distraction strategies are commonly employed to mitigate anxiety during healthcare visits.
• The effectiveness of shared versus personal distraction methods requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of shared distraction opportunities on anxiety levels in pediatric patients.
• To compare engagement with shared distractions versus personal items.
• To identify specific types of shared distractions that are most effective in reducing anxiety.

Main Methods:

• Observation of self-selected activities in 271 young people (5-19 years) with neurodevelopmental conditions in a pediatric rehabilitation clinic.
• Shared distraction opportunities included hands-free media (nature video, interactive media) and an aquarium.
• Anxiety was measured using the State Trait Anxiety Scale upon arrival and after 10 minutes in the waiting area.

Main Results:

• Young people showed greater engagement with shared distractions (170/271) compared to personal items (119/271).
• Interactive media and the aquarium significantly reduced anxiety (p < 0.04), while nature videos showed a trend towards increasing it (p = 0.036).
• Personal electronic devices did not positively impact anxiety levels; age influenced preferences and anxiety responses.

Conclusions:

• Shared distraction opportunities are valuable in pediatric healthcare settings.
• Hands-free interactive media and aquariums are particularly effective in reducing patient anxiety.
• Tailoring distraction strategies to age and individual needs can enhance their positive impact.