Humanization interventions in general pediatric wards: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Healthcare
• Patient Experience
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• Humanization of Care (HOC) in pediatrics focuses on the child and their family.
• Existing HOC programs lack comprehensive outcome data for practical implementation.
• There is a need to evaluate the effectiveness of various HOC interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and compare the outcomes of published HOC interventions for hospitalized children.
• To identify areas of focus within HOC interventions and their reported effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of studies from PubMed and Scopus (2000-2018).
• Inclusion criteria: interventions improving HOC with outcome analysis or satisfaction measures.
• Exclusion criteria: neonatal, emergency, subspecialty settings.

Main Results:

• 28 studies met inclusion criteria; most were of moderate to low quality.
• Interventions focused on environment, provider-patient relationships, pet therapy, technology, family-centered rounds, psychological support, and staff training.
• Overall trend indicated interventions were mostly effective and beneficial.

Conclusions:

• Local HOC interventions demonstrate effectiveness and positive impacts in general pediatric wards.
• Findings suggest implications for planning HOC interventions by healthcare professionals.
• Further high-quality research is needed to strengthen evidence.