Developing responsiveness to the health needs of Hispanic children and families

Admission to a tertiary care pediatric hospital is a stressful experience for the Hispanic child and family. The stress partially stems from the institutional barriers that conflict with the psycho-social needs of Hispanic families. This article identifies six psycho-social needs of Hispanics and examines related risks for coping disturbances encountered during the hospitalization process. These risks can be reduced by increasing health providers' understanding of the psycho-social needs of Hispanics and by specifying culturally appropriate interventions. The development of cross-cultural committees, protocols and hospital based Hispanic self-help networks represent distinct modalities for improving responsiveness to the health needs of Hispanic families in a hospital setting.