Management of Follow-Up With Preterm Infants During the Outbreak in China
Linlin Li1, Zhenghong Li1, Weilin Wan1
1Department of Pediatrics, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Insights
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a combined online and in-person follow-up approach for preterm infants effectively reduced parental anxiety. This hybrid model maintained high follow-up rates, ensuring continuity of care for vulnerable infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatology
- Public Health
- Digital Health
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted routine medical services, including essential follow-up care for preterm infants discharged from Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs).
- Parental anxiety increased due to concerns about infant health and the risks associated with in-person visits during the epidemic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a hybrid online and face-to-face follow-up strategy for preterm infants during the COVID-19 outbreak.
- To explore a model that balances infant protection with parental reassurance.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of preterm infants (n=35 for first follow-up, n=43 for subsequent) were enrolled for a combined online/face-to-face follow-up.
- The Wenjuanxing platform was used for pre- and post-online follow-up surveys.
- First-time follow-up rates were compared between the COVID-19 outbreak period and the same period in the previous year.
Main Results:
- Feeding and medication/supplement concerns were primary parental worries.
- Online follow-up significantly decreased family anxiety levels (P < 0.05).
- High satisfaction rates were reported: 96.8% satisfied/very satisfied, 95.2% felt all questions were answered, though only 35.5% saw it as a full replacement for in-person visits.
Conclusions:
- The integrated online and face-to-face follow-up approach effectively reduced parental anxiety during the COVID-19 epidemic.
- This hybrid model achieved a comparable first-time follow-up rate to the pre-pandemic period, demonstrating its viability.
Abstract:
Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) swept Wuhan in January 2020. Other cities in China also suffered during the pandemic. Routine medical services were conducted in the Neonatal Intensive Unit (NICU) as usual, but the follow-up after discharge was seriously affected. Objective: To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of a combination of online and face-to-face follow-up for preterm infants during the COVID-19 epidemic and to explore a follow-up pattern that can provide follow-up services while maximizing the protection of preterm infants and soothing the fear of their parents. Methods: Preterm infants (n = 35) whose first follow-up appointment was scheduled from February 1 to April 30, 2020, and preterm infants (n = 43) in the NICU follow-up group who were discharged from January 1, 2018, to January 31, 2020, who had a second or later routine follow-up appointment scheduled from February 1 to April 30, 2020, were enrolled. We provided a combination of online and face-to-face follow-up for preterm infants surveyed with the Wenjuanxing platform before and after the online follow-up and compared the first-time follow-up rate between the outbreak and the same period of the previous year. Results: Feeding and oral medicine and supplements were the most concerning problems of the parents of preterm infants. The anxiety level of the family was significantly decreased after online follow-up (P < 0.05). A total of 96.8% of parents were satisfied or very satisfied with online follow-up, and 95.2% of parents thought that online follow-up had answered all their questions. Only 35.5% of parents thought online follow-up could replace face-to-face follow-up. Conclusion: The combination of online and face-to-face follow-up alleviated the anxiety of the parents during the outbreak and achieved a similar first-time follow-up rate as the same period in 2019.
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