RESUMO
PURPOSE: The study investigated the television watching habits of children in hospital compared with those at home and the factors which influence them. METHODS: A random sample of 546 school aged children hospitalized in paediatric hospitals (2) in Athens (Greece) was studied. RESULTS: Children's television watching time in the hospital was found to be higher compared to that at home. The characteristics which influence this result are the duration of hospitalization, the television rent, who does the programme selection and the frequency of visits (p<0.001 for all tests). CONCLUSION: Children especially in hospitals should watch television accompanied by their parents/caregivers who should help them to decode the received messages, check the quality of the programmes and intervene in the time spent watching television.
