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

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.