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Why clowns in hospital are not funny
PICTURES of clowns painted on hospital walls could strike fear into the hearts of young patients, a study at The University of Sheffield has found.
Researchers quizzed 250 young patients aged four to 16 to find out what they liked and disliked about hospital decor.
And all the youngsters - quizzed at Sheffield Children's Hospital, Barnsley Hospital, and Derby City General - said they found clowns frightening.
Even the eldest said clowns were 'scary' - which, according to the report, is not uncommon.
Coulrophobia - an abnormal or exaggerated fear of clowns - is sometimes also found in teenagers and adults. Sinister portrayals of clowns on film and TV are thought to be fuelling fears.
Now researchers, whose findings have been published in the Nursing Standard, are calling on hospitals around the country to put more thought into how they decorate children's wards.
"As adults we make assumptions about what works for children," said Penny Curtis, a senior lecturer in research at the university.
"We found that clowns are universally disliked by children.
"Some found them quite frightening and unknowable."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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