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Infant illness severity and family adjustment in the aftermath of NICU hospitalization

Victoria A Grunberg1, Pamela A Geller1,2, Chavis A Patterson3,4

  • 1Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Infant Mental Health Journal
|February 15, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Infant illness severity after neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge impacts family adjustment. More severe infant health issues correlate with increased family burden, stress, and poorer couple functioning, necessitating family-centered support.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Health
  • Family Psychology
  • Child Development

Background:

  • Up to 15% of infants require neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission.
  • Parents of medically fragile infants face significant developmental and adjustment challenges post-discharge.
  • Understanding the link between infant illness severity and family well-being is crucial for targeted support.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between infant illness severity and family adjustment.
  • To identify specific factors of infant medical history and post-discharge health that influence parental stress, family burden, and couple functioning.
  • To inform the development of effective family-focused interventions.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional online survey was administered to 199 parents whose infants had been discharged from the NICU 6 months to 3 years prior.
  • Data collected included infant medical history, parental stress, family burden, couple functioning, and resource access.
  • Multivariable regression analyses were used to examine associations between variables.

Main Results:

  • Greater infant illness severity during hospitalization (e.g., longer stay, more devices) correlated with increased family burden.
  • Post-hospitalization infant health issues (diagnoses, specialists) were linked to higher stress, poorer couple functioning, and greater family burden.
  • Parental time constraints were associated with increased stress and poorer couple functioning.
  • Surprisingly, rehospitalized infants' parents reported less stress and better couple functioning, but higher family burden.

Conclusions:

  • Infant illness severity significantly impacts family adjustment, affecting stress, couple functioning, and burden.
  • Post-discharge health status is a critical factor in family psychosocial well-being.
  • Family-focused interventions addressing communication, partner support, and self-care are recommended to mitigate negative psychosocial outcomes.

Keywords:
Funktionieren der PaarbeziehungSäuglingsgesundheitUnidad de Cuidado Intensivo NeonatalUnités Néonatales de Soins Intensifscouple functioningelterlicher Stressestrés de crianzafamiliäre Auswirkungenfamily impactfonctionnement du couplefuncionamiento como parejaimpact sur la familleimpacto sobre la familiainfant healthneonatal intensive care unit (NICU)neonatologische Intensivstationen (NICU)parental stresssalud infantilsanté du bébéstress de parentageالكلمات الرئيسية: وحدات العناية المركزة لحديثي الولادة ، صحة الرضع ، إجهاد الوالدين ، أداء الزوجين ، تاثير الأسرةカ ップル機能乳幼児の健康夫妻关系婴儿健康家庭影响家族への影響新生儿重症监护室 (NICU)新生児特定集中治療室(NICU)育儿压力親のストレス

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