title: Evaluation of videophone communication for families of hospitalized children.
abstract: This study evaluated videophones as a means of support among families who had limited access to their hospitalized children due to geographic separation. These videophones facilitated video-mediated communication between the hospital and the family home. Qualitative interviews explored the outcomes and processes related to videophone use for a subsample of 14 participants. Content analysis identified six themes: being in hospital far from home is "draining," vicarious growth and the recalibration of priorities, "it's like you're right there," source of happiness in a hard place, ease of videophone use, and limitations of the videophone. Participants reported that family separation during pediatric hospitalization was very difficult, and use of the videophones mitigated these effects through decreasing feelings of isolation and anxiety, and increasing feelings of connection between family members.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. nicolas@ucalgary.ca
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Nicholas
authors.forename: Karlee D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Fellner
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Koller
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fontana Chow
authors.forename: Leanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brister
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009864:Ontario; D010290:Parents; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support; D049269:Videoconferencing