A Psicologia pediátrica em hospitais universitários brasileiros

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2009

RESUMO

Pediatric psychology, while a subspecialty of health psychology, deals with promotion and maintenance of children and adolescents health, being those individuals either in habitual life conditions or exposed to health treatments and/or to conditions of risk to health. The assistance in pediatric psychology is developed in various contexts, especially in those directed to hospitalization and treatment of pediatric health, which are considered potentially adverse to child development. In order to reduce the occurrence, the magnitude, and the impact of adverse repercussion, pediatric psychology has developed a number of interventions, through the use of varied techniques and resources. Psychological preparation is one of those intervention modes, and it is referred and recommended by literature for it has provided the increase of treatment adhesion rate, reduction of anticipatory anxiety, and development of more efficient coping strategies against illnesses and other stressful contingencies. Based on those factors, a study was carried out aiming at describing and characterizing the development conditions of pediatric psychology in Brazil, concerning: (a) national scientific production, available at Qualis A and B psychology journals, within the years of 2000 and 2008; and (b) professional performance of psychologists in charge of pediatric psychology services at Brazilian federal public University Hospitals (UHs), by highlighting the interventions of psychological preparation conducted by them. To achieve those purposes three procedures were carried out: (a) an analysis of publications with themes of interest for pediatric psychology, as regards the annual distribution, the child development stage, and the theme they referred to; (b) a mapping of psychology services at federal public UHs and of the psychologists who were active there, through consultation to Health and Education Ministries, and UHs web portals; and (c) a profile survey of pediatric psychologists and a routine survey of pediatric health care and attention developed by the psychologists at federal public UHs, through a self-administered electronic questionnaire. Data analyses revealed, among other aspects, that pediatric psychology has not yet been conceptually established at federal public UHs, both in theoretical and practical extensions, despite the progressive increase of professional insertion in the area. The factors that are related to this development condition refer especially to: (a) lack of delimitation of professional role, functions, and practical activities; (b) low production and/or publication of scientific researches; and (c) insufficient and/or inadequate education in the health area. Some suggestions are offered based on the found evidences: (a) for the psychologists need of planning, organization and systematization of attention and care routine to health, especially concerning routine operational description and systematic and standardized registration of collected information; (b) for professors and/or researchers need of improvement and/or development of education and scientific researches in the area, such as the design of specific disciplines in undergraduate and postgraduate levels, execution of technical and scientific events, organization of an association in the area and of a scientific journal, among others.

ASSUNTO(S)

hospitais universitários preparação psicológica psicologia pediátrica pediatric psychology psychological preparation child hospitalization psicologia university hospitals hospitalização infantil

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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