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Impact of bed side communication with fathers on their anxiety about newborn

Harmesh Singh1, Daljit Singh, Puneet A Pooni

  • 1Neonatal Division, Department of Pediatrics, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana (Punjab), India. harmeshsingh@sify.com

Indian Pediatrics
|September 3, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Bedside communication significantly reduces anxiety in fathers of sick newborns. This approach, involving direct interaction within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), proved more effective than standard communication methods in lowering paternal stress levels.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal care
  • Psychological impact of critical illness
  • Paternal mental health

Background:

  • Paternal anxiety is a significant concern for neonates admitted to the Special Care Neonatal Unit (SCNU).
  • Effective communication strategies are crucial for managing parental stress during neonatal hospitalization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the impact of bedside communication with fathers on their anxiety levels regarding sick neonates admitted to the SCNU.
  • To compare the effectiveness of bedside communication versus standard communication in reducing paternal anxiety.

Main Methods:

  • A study involving 100 fathers of sick neonates admitted to the SCNU, with a control group of 100 fathers receiving standard communication outside the unit.
  • Anxiety was measured using a 5-point Likert Scale on day 1 (admission) and day 7.
  • Statistical analysis included the Mann Whitney test to compare anxiety levels between groups and within groups.

Main Results:

  • No significant difference in anxiety levels was observed between the study and control groups at admission (p > 0.05).
  • A statistically significant difference in anxiety levels was found at 7 days, with the bedside communication group showing significantly lower anxiety (p < 0.01).
  • Within the study group, anxiety levels decreased significantly from admission to day 7 (p < 0.01), while the control group showed no significant change.

Conclusions:

  • Bedside communication with fathers of neonates admitted to the SCNU significantly reduces paternal anxiety.
  • Implementing bedside communication strategies can be an effective intervention for improving the psychological well-being of fathers during neonatal critical illness.
  • This communication method offers a tangible benefit in managing parental stress in the neonatal intensive care environment.

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