ABSTRACT
Admission to a tertiary care pediatric hospital is a stressful experience for the Hispanic child and family. The stress partially stems from the institutional barriers that conflict with the psychosocial needs of Hispanic families.
This article identifies six psychosocial needs of Hispanics and examines related risks for coping disturbances encountered during the hospitalization process. These risks can be reduced by increasing health providers’ understanding of the psychosocial needs of Hispanics and by specifying culturally appropriate interventions. The development of cross-cultural committees, protocols, and hospital based Hispanic self-help networks represent distinct modalities for improving responsiveness to the health needs of Hispanic families in a hospital setting.
