Exploring the Ability of a Drawing by Proxy Intervention to Improve Quality of Life for Hospitalized Children

Healthcare experts agree that hospitalization and illness are stressful for everyone, but can be especially so for the developing child. Often the feelings children experience are confusing, difficult, and perhaps too frightening to put into words. more

Arousing Curiosity: When Hospital Art Transcends

Evolutionary and emotional congruence theoretical perspectives support the use of certain types of artwork to reduce stress and promote improved outcomes in healthcare settings. This paper explores the artwork of three artists whose work falls outside the traditional representational art supported by these theoretical perspectives. The concept of curiosity as a common thread is proposed as the underlying theory in an effort to explain the success of such work in achieving positive outcomes for patients, families, and staff. Other concepts are explored as contributing theoretical frameworks. Research is needed to determine the impact of this emerging type of artwork and the implications of findings for individuals who create—as well as for those who select—art for healthcare settings. Read or download PDF here.

Hospitalized Children's Responses to a Guided Viewing of a Mural

An elaborate underwater mural is underway in pediatrics on the 5th floor of Georgetown University Hospital's Concentrated Care Center building in the hallway between the pediatric intensive care (PICU) and transplant units. This study explores and describes the effects of a guided viewing of the mural on hospitalized children, with an emphasis on determining if such engagement can reduce children's anxiety during hospitalization. more

What a Hospital Should Be

Among the many features of childhood is children’s sense of powerlessness and lack of control over what happens to them. Perhaps under no other circumstance is this reality more evident than when children are hospitalized. more

The Influence of 2 Hospitals’ Designs and Policies on Social Interaction and Privacy as Coping Factors for Children With Cancer and Their Families

Children with cancer and their families benefit from both social interaction and privacy in attempting to cope with the stresses of a child’s hospitalization and illness. more

Tell Me About It: Drawing as a Communication Tool for Children with Cancer

As health-related research on children shifts from seeking information about children to seeking information directly from them, researchers recognize the need for developmentally appropriate methods such as drawing to help children communicate their experiences. more

Childhood Cancer: Siblings Draw and Tell

There is a growing awareness among health care professionals that the psychosocial needs of siblings of children with cancer are less adequately met than those of other family members. more