title: A descriptive study of the extent to which self-perceived needs of parents are met in paediatric units in Iceland.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which parents of 2-12-year-old hospitalized children perceive their needs to be met in paediatric units, what variables influence parents' perception, and whether parents need help from the hospital to meet their needs. Parents perceived that most of their needs were met fully or to some extent. The need to be able to stay with the child 24 h a day was perceived as fully met by all parents. Needs perceived as important but poorly met were as follows: written information about the child's health status, information about financial assistance and follow-up after discharge. Independent variables identified as being related to the extent to which individual needs were met were as follows: parents' age (p < or = 0.05), distance between home and hospital (p < or = 0.05), parents' education (p < or = 0.05), length of hospital stay (p < or = 0.01) and severity of child's illness (p < or = 0.01). Most parents perceived that they needed help from the hospital to meet their needs. These findings call for identification of effective interventions to meet parents' needs.
authors.affiliation: University of Iowa College of Nursing, Iowa City, IA, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bragadóttir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland; D007223:Infant; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010372:Pediatrics