Gillie Gabay and Howard R Moskowitz
Background: Hospitalization causes known neurotic disturbances of varying degrees of severity among teens. There is only one measure, the drawing tool, and preparation programs found to impact teens’ abilities to cope with the hospital produced negative emotional status. This study focused on what teens perceive that would make their hospital experience more ‘tolerable,’ and less disturbing for them. Messaging accorded conduct will create positive feelings and increase utilization and cooperation among teens.
Method: 157 teens ages 13-18 from the continental USA participated in the study. Mind Genomics, specifically, the rule developing experimentation was used. The experiment was conducted via a computer assigning ratings to a set of unique vignettes comprising several statements, allowing analyzing both an individual-level analysis and subgroup analysis using conjoint analysis.
Results: Three mindsets were identified: Segment 1 responds to statements about a medical staff which genuinely tries to help the patient and bonds with trust. Segment 2, responds to the communications from the medical staff. For respondents in this segment the exchange of information in a pleasant but frank manner is important. Segment 3 wants a mentor. Differences were found on mindsets by gender and age. A viewpoint identifier was used for typing individuals in the population into mindsets of the sample.
Conclusion: Identifying mindsets allows healthcare organizations to facilitate better emotional status and healing by approaching teens with suitable messaging and avoiding alienating messaging. The most prevalent feeling regarding hospital visits is not neutral but rather either a positive feeling or very negative feeling affecting the utilization of healthcare hospital services among teens. Data and the viewpoint identifier allow us to assign the belonging of a teen to one of the three mindsets. Findings direct strategies of messaging by public health organizations, professional societies and policymakers to relieve anxieties and other disturbances of teens regarding hospitalizations.
