This study aims to investigate the architectural and built environment aspects involved in the humanizing process in a pediatric hospital and its influence to the recovering of the hospitalized child. Based on the Social Representation Theory, a structural analysis was carried out, using free association of words and a semi-structured questionnaire for data collection. The study was carried out in a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the results presented refer to the representations produced by 75 people accompanying hospitalized child. As central nucleus appears "consultation", while "reform", "medicines", "organization" and "affection" appear as peripheral system. For this group humanization seems to be strongly linked to the right to health and access to care. Nevertheless, aspects modalizing the quality of care, which are enrolled under humanization, are not neglected. The results allow providing recommendations to improve the contemporary hospitals architectural programs and the quality of care.
Humanization of assistance; Hospital design and construction; Hospitals, pediatric
