Patient right aspects of child health services in Hungary

Abstract

Introduction: It is well known that minors belong to vulnerable social groups in health care due to their specific legal status, which is determined by their age. The most important aims of the present study are to introduce children’s patient rights and to detect neuralgic problems in their health service from a legal point of view.
Method: This analysis is based on the regulations of the Hungarian Act CLIV of 1997 on Health concerning minors’ patient rights and connected legal questions.
Results: It is evidenced that legislators intend to protect the interests of minors by several rules, but the reduced abilities to enforce their interests become more problematic in special statuses, such as a low socioeconomic status, belonging to a minority, following a special religion, and growing up in a one-parent family. Due to these disadvantages, interests of minors can be injured during their care.
Conclusion: It is suggested to carry out complex, patient-rights-oriented quantitative research on a representative sample concerning minors’ health care, and based on the results, revise the regulations in force.