Childhood prolonged hospitalization and its psychological impacts

Abstract

The present research, entitled "Psychological Impacts of Childhood Prolonged Hospitalization," aimed to identify the main psychological impacts on children aged 6 to 10 years who experienced prolonged hospitalization in the ward of a general hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. This is an observational, cross-sectional, prospective, and descriptive clinical field study with a qualitative approach. A total of 10 patients admitted to the ward of Grajaú General Hospital were interviewed. All collected data were analyzed and interpreted using Bardin's content analysis method. The results identified the following categories as the main psychological impacts: fear and anxiety, sadness, stress, and secondary gains. Play emerged as a significant coping mechanism in this context. The psychological impacts observed in this study were of intense levels, with the possibility of long-term persistence due to the extended hospitalization period. These findings highlight the importance of early identification and intervention within the hospital environment to minimize or even prevent the development of psychological and/or behavioral disorders.