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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
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Infant illness severity and perinatal post-traumatic stress disorder after discharge from the neonatal intensive care

Kathryn J Malin1, Teresa S Johnson2, Sarah McAndrew3

  • 1The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, United States of America; NICU, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States of America.

Early Human Development
|November 24, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Parental perception of infant illness severity, not just objective measures, predicts post-NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) PTSD. Understanding parents' views is key to reducing PTSD risk.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal mental health
  • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) care
  • Trauma and stress-related disorders

Background:

  • Perinatal posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) risk factors in NICU parents are not fully understood.
  • The link between objective and perceived infant illness severity and parental PTSD requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if objective or perceived infant illness severity predicts PTSD in parents after NICU discharge.
  • To clarify the relationship between illness severity measures and parental PTSD.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective, observational study of parent/infant dyads with NICU stays ≥14 days.
  • Objective illness severity from electronic health records; perceived severity via a 5-point Likert scale.
  • Perinatal Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Questionnaire (PPQ) administered 3 months post-discharge.

Main Results:

  • 25% of parents screened positive for PTSD; 86% completed follow-up.
  • Both objective and perceived illness severity were associated with PTSD.
  • Parental perception of illness severity independently predicted PTSD (OR 3.2, p=0.008).

Conclusions:

  • Parental PTSD post-NICU discharge is multifactorial.
  • Objective measures can identify at-risk parents.
  • Improving caregiver communication and understanding of parental perceptions may reduce PTSD.
Abstract

Keywords:
Infant illnessNICUPerceptions of illnessPerinatal PTSD

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