Risk factors for the development of medical stress syndrome following surgical intervention
Amichai Ben-Ari1, Fortu Benarroch2, Yaron Sela3
1Department of Behavioral Sciences, Ariel University, Israel; Herman Dana Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
Insights
Parental stress and concerns about family support are linked to children's emotional distress after surgery. Identifying at-risk children is crucial for preventing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Trauma Psychology
- Child Psychiatry
Background:
- Pediatric surgery causes traumatic stress, potentially leading to psychological distress.
- This distress can decrease follow-up adherence and delay physical recovery.
- Risk factors for pediatric medical trauma require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- Define risk factors for psychological distress during pediatric surgical hospitalization.
- Identify children at risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Focus preventive interventions on high-risk pediatric surgical patients.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 235 parents of children aged 1-13 years hospitalized in a pediatric surgical ward.
- Participants completed questionnaires 3-5 months post-discharge to assess psychological distress.
- Prognosis study design with level of evidence 1.
Main Results:
- Higher parental stress, concerns about social support, and sibling issues correlated with children's emotional distress.
- Emergency surgery and more invasive procedures were linked to increased pediatric posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in younger children (1-5 years).
Conclusions:
- Need for validated measurements to identify children at high risk for posttraumatic stress after surgery.
- Guidelines for developing a screening instrument for post-surgical psychological distress are proposed.
Background:
Pediatric surgical procedures involve traumatic stress that may cause psychological distress, leading to decreased adherence to continued surgical follow-up and delayed physical recovery. Risk factors for pediatric medical trauma, however, have not been studied enough. We aim to define the risk factors detectable during hospitalization in pediatric surgery and characterize children at risk of developing PTSD, in order to focus preventive interventions on these children.
Methods:
The participants in this prospective study were parents of 235 children aged 1-13 years hospitalized in a pediatric surgical ward, who form a representative sample of patients of this age in the ward. They completed questionnaires measuring symptoms of psychological distress, 3-5 months after discharge.
Results:
Higher parental stress, parental concerns regarding family social support, and parental concerns regarding sibling problems had a significant positive correlation with the children's emotional distress measured 3-5 months after hospitalization. Among children aged 1-5 years, emergency (as opposed to elective) operation and a higher number of invasive procedures were also positively correlated with the children's PTSS.
Conclusions:
There is a need to develop measurements for identifying children at high risk for developing posttraumatic stress following surgical intervention; guidelines for developing such a screening instrument are outlined.
Type Of Study:
Prognosis study (level of evidence - 1).
More Related Videos
08:25Polar Histogram Visualization of Acute Stress Disorder Scale Scores for Comprehensive Clinical Assessment
Published on: December 6, 2024
12:22Mindfulness in Motion MIM: An Onsite Mindfulness Based Intervention MBI for Chronically High Stress Work Environments to Increase Resiliency and Work Engagement
Published on: July 1, 2015
Related Concept Videos
01:27Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle
01:22Aneurysm IV: Nursing Management
01:27Psychoneuroimmunology: Cardiovascular Disease
A key area of focus in PNI is the relationship between stress and coronary...
01:28Cardiomyopathy VII: Pre and Post Operative Nursing Management
01:30Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
01:23Types of Stressors
Catastrophes
Catastrophes refer to large-scale, unpredictable events that create overwhelming stress and a sense of threat. Examples include natural disasters like...