[Professional opinion about hospitalising Latin-American immigrant children in Andalucía, Spain].
OBJECTIVE
There has been an increase in paediatric hospital attention being provided for Latin-American immigrant patients in Spain during the recent years. This work was aimed at ascertaining professionals' opinion regarding this population's specific and differential needs concerning Latin-American immigrant children being hospitalised.


METHODS
The study consisted of a qualitative, phenomenological type of investigation, based on semi-structured interviews of key informers in Andalusia (Spain). The subjects of the study were professionals from paediatric services in hospital centres in Andalusia.


RESULTS
One of the most prominent (positive) results revealed that the Latin-American immigrant population presented less difficulties regarding hospital functioning when compared to other immigrant groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The psychological aspects which had most impact on paediatric hospitalisation would be emotional alterations, such as the presence of anxiety and stress, or other aspects, like a lack of trust when being hospitalised.
Fernández-Castillo
Antonio
A
Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad de Granada, España. afcastil@ugr.es
Vílchez-Lara
María J
MJ
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America / Q000208:ethnology; D013030:Spain