Child Health Nurs Res.  2017 Jul;23(3):375-384. 10.4094/chnr.2017.23.3.375.

Influence of Hospitalization Recognition and Hospital-Related Fear on the Adjustment to Hospital Life by Hospitalized School-Aged Children

• Kang MJ
• Kwon IS
• Jeong E

• KMID: 2388603
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4094/chnr.2017.23.3.375

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was done to identify the level of adjustment to hospital life, hospitalization recognition and hospital-related fear by school-aged children, and investigate the influence of hospitalization recognition and hospital-related fear on the hospital life of these children.
METHODS
Participants were 112 three to six grade students who were hospitalized from 3 to 7 days at one of two children's hospital. Date were collected from September 2015 to March 2016. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, multiple regression.
RESULTS
The mean score for adjustment to hospital life was 3.43±0.40 of 5, for hospitalization recognition, 2.98±0.46 of 4 and for hospital-related fear, 1.37±0.28 of 3. Factors affecting adjustment to hospital life were hospital-related fear (β=-.28, p=.002) and hospitalization recognition (β=.27, p=.003). These factors explained 17% of the variance in adjustment to hospital life.
CONCLUSION
Results indicate that adjustment to hospital life by school-aged children is not sufficient enough for them to cope with illnesses and hospitalization. Therefore, to improve adjustment to hospital life by school-aged children, nursing interventions that focus on increasing hospitalization recognition and decreasing hospital-related fear need to be developed.

Keyword

Children; Hospitalization; Adjustment; Fear

MeSH Terms

Child*
Hospitalization*
Humans
Nursing