Children's response to hospitalization at the University Hospital of the West Indies.

The results of this study indicated that patients aged 3-13 years who had a history of previous hospitalization appeared to be significantly more distressed than patients without such previous history (p < 0.05). Previously hospitalized children were more uncooperative and displayed anxious, immature behaviour patterns. Children who were hospitalized for more than a month were also interviewed about their concerns and response to hospitalization. The study highlighted the need for hospitalized children to be better prepared for hospitalization, to have greater parental involvement in the management of their behaviour and to have efficiently run programmes geared at addressing their educational and emotional needs.