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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Children younger than 4 years and their substance-dependent mothers in the child welfare clinic

E Savonlahi1, M Pajulo, H Helenius

  • 1Department of Child Psychiatry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. elina.savonlahti@tyks.fi

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|August 12, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Substance dependency affects 5.8% of mothers with young children, linked to caregiving challenges and low social support. Maternal reports on child health history were not differentiating factors.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Maternal Health
  • Substance Abuse Research

Background:

  • Substance dependency in mothers of young children is a significant public health concern.
  • Early identification of maternal substance dependency is crucial for child welfare.
  • Routine assessments in child welfare settings can aid in identifying at-risk families.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of substance dependency among mothers of children under four.
  • To assess the utility of maternal self-report measures (social support, child's health, caregiving experiences) in distinguishing substance-dependent mothers.
  • To identify key factors associated with maternal substance dependency.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 413 mothers of children under four attending child welfare clinics.
  • Administration of the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI).
  • Collection of data on social support, child's somatic health history, and caregiving experiences via questionnaires.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of substance dependency was found to be 5.8%.
  • Mothers with substance dependency reported more child caregiving difficulties.
  • Low social support and difficulties in the social environment were significantly associated with substance dependency and use.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal substance dependency is prevalent and linked to caregiving difficulties and reduced social support.
  • Child's somatic health history, as perceived by mothers, did not differentiate dependent from non-dependent mothers.
  • Integrating maternal well-being and caregiving experiences into routine child welfare check-ups can help identify at-risk mother-child pairs.
Abstract

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