Inpatient pediatric chaplain service utilization among children with chronic, non-cancer diseases

Abstract

Despite the broad importance of pediatric spiritual care, most research focuses on oncologic and palliative care contexts. We aim to describe the utilization of pediatric chaplain services by children hospitalized for non-cancer chronic illnesses and to identify factors that predict utilization of chaplain services. Among 629 patients with 915 admissions, we found chaplain services were utilized in 5.0% of admissions. Utilization was similar between religiously affiliated patients (7.5%, 95%CI [5.3–10.6%]) and un-affiliated patients (6.4%, [3.6–11.0%]). Christian patients (7.3% [5.1–10.5%]) demonstrated similar utilization as non-Christian patients (7.0% [4.3–11.2%]). Utilization was significantly higher among patients with LOS >2 days (10.8% [7.9–14.6%]), compared to LOS ≤2 (1.7% [0.9–3.1%]). These results may represent an addressable gap in spiritual care, and they highlight an opportunity for pediatric chaplains to play a larger role in the holistic care of hospitalized children with chronic diseases, regardless of religious affiliation.

Keywords:

• Chronic disease
• pediatric chaplaincy
• pediatric hospital medicine
• spiritual care

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge Cynthia J. Beeler MLIS, AHIP for suggestions regarding literature review and Drew Yarger for suggestions regarding statistical analysis.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, J.H. The data are not publicly available due to their containment of information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.

Additional information

Funding

Grant Support [UL1TR002377].