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Hospitalization in adults

from Psychology, health and illness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 December 2014

By
Rachael Powell  and
Marie Johnston
Edited by
Susan Ayers ,
Andrew Baum ,
Chris McManus ,
Stanton Newman ,
Kenneth Wallston ,
John Weinman  and
Robert West
Rachael Powell
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen
Marie Johnston
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen
Susan Ayers
Affiliation:
University of Sussex
Andrew Baum
Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh
Chris McManus
Affiliation:
St Mary's Hospital Medical School
Stanton Newman
Affiliation:
University College and Middlesex School of Medicine
Kenneth Wallston
Affiliation:
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
John Weinman
Affiliation:
United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St Thomas's
Robert West
Affiliation:
St George's Hospital Medical School, University of London
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Summary

Introduction

Hospitalization occurs when symptoms of illness can no longer be tolerated in the individual's domestic environment, when technical investigations need to be performed or when treatments requiring specific equipment or 24-hour patient monitoring are to be undertaken. One might therefore expect that, at least for a substantial minority, hospitalization would be viewed as a source of relief or reassurance, or would hold out the possibility of offering a better understanding of symptoms or even resolution of symptoms. However, in the psychological literature, it is primarily conceptualized as a source of stress. Additionally, discharge from hospital is seen as a stressful time and Ley (1988) has reported high levels of depression in patients in the period following discharge.

This chapter discusses the stressors faced by hospitalized adults and emotional and cognitive responses to hospitalization. The role of health professionals in meeting the needs of hospitalized adults is considered and the impact of adult hospitalization on family members is examined.

Stressors

The Hospital Stress Rating Scale (Volicer & Bohannon, 1975) describes 49 ‘events’ associated with being in hospital which may be stressful. These events were ranked by 261 medical and surgical patients from the most to the least stressful. The most stressful, thinking you might lose your sight, relates to the threat of illness as does the fourth, knowing that you have a serious illness. Illness course was also identified as an area of concern in chronic bronchitis and emphysema patients by Small and Graydon (1993).

Type
Chapter
Information
Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine , pp. 109 - 113
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2007

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