[Health care quality in paediatric oncology: the role of communicational and relational aspects]

The object of our study was to evaluate health care perception by families of children affected by oncological diseases admitted to hospitals. The main aim was to investigate the importance of availability of particular services and of clients' satisfaction for them in determining high quality levels in health care. A survey was carried out in two reference centres for treating children's cancer in Italy, one in North and the other in Central Italy. The study was performed interviewing, by a questionnaire, in hospital children's parents about perception and judgment on health care. Descriptive statistical analyses were carried out. Mann-Whitney and Chi square tests were used setting the statistical significance at p < or = 0.05. We administered 53 questionnaires. Five (9.4%) negative judgment of quality of health care were observed. The evaluation of communicative ways and the relationship between psychologists and families influenced significantly the final judgment of quality of medical-nursing care. Our study highlights the importance of high quality psychological and sociological supports in the treatment of oncological children and in determining perceived quality of medical-nursing assistance. Finally, the importance of communication between medical staff and oncological children's parents was confirmed.