International Journal of Human and Health Sciences. Supplementary Issue: 2021 
 

S18 
 

Healthcare Practitioner’s Views on the Teddy Bear Hospital (TBH) by 

IMACATS in Malaysia 

 

Aneesa Abdul Rashid1, Cheong Ai Theng1, Ranita Hisham Shanmugam2, 

Nurainul Hana Shamsuddin1, Dalila Roslan3 
1Jabatan PerubatanKeluarga, FakultiPerubatan dan Sains Kesihatan, UPM 2UM Library, 

University of Malaya, Jalan Universiti, 50603 Kuala Lumpur,3Ministry of Health, 62000 

Putrajaya, Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya, Malaysia 
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31344/ijhhs.v5i0.309   

 

Introduction: This is a part of a bigger study entitled “Exploring the Views of Healthcare 

Practitioners on the Teddy Bear Hospital (TBH) as a Personal Safety Module Towards 

Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA): A Qualitative Study”. TBH is a make-believe-play 

hospital utilising soft toys to demonstrate a pretend clinical setting with the aim to educate 

children on health issues. Studies has shown its effectiveness and reducing anxiety towards the 

hospital setting and increasing health-related knowledge. IMAM Children’s and Teen Super 

teen (IMACATS) is one of the non-governmental organisations (NGO) which has adopted this 

concept to tailor to the local community. The volunteers are healthcare practitioners who are 

engaged with children in their practice. 

 

Objective: To explore the views of healthcare professional towards TBH by IMACATS in 

Malaysia. 

 

Methods: In-depth qualitative audio recorded interviews were conducted with a purposive 

sample of 18 healthcare professionals. The data obtained were transcribed and analysed 

thematically. 

 

Results: Three themes were derived from the interviews: i) Awareness of the TBH concept. 

Seven participants have volunteered in TBH previously. However, there was a speculation that 

many doctors are still unknowing of this concept. ii) Benefits of TBH. This includes reducing 

children’s anxiety, changing children’s presumption on healthcare, increasing children’s health 

knowledge and encouraging healthy behaviour and bridging the gap between the public and 

healthcare. iii) Suggestion of Module for future TBH: (a) More school-based programmes 

should be organised in addition to hospital and community based; (b) Ministry of Health (MOH) 

should encourage children health screening using this concept; (c) A module for hospitalised 

children should be conducted. 

 

Conclusion: Participants interviewed suggested for TBH to be organised in a wider scale as it 

is an approachable concept for educating children. There are many ways in which it can benefit 

this community. 

 

Keywords: Teddy Bear Hospital, health education, healthcare professionals, children, Malaysia 

 

 

http://dx.doi.org/10.31344/ijhhs.v5i0.309