Racial/Ethnic Differences in Stress, Coping, and Distress Among Mothers With a Child in the ICU

Area of Science:

• Critical care nursing
• Parental mental health
• Health disparities

Background:

• Parental stress is a significant concern for children in intensive care units (ICUs).
• Limited research exists on parental stress experiences within racial/ethnic minority groups.
• Understanding these experiences is crucial for equitable care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the stress and coping mechanisms of mothers with children admitted to an ICU.
• To examine these processes within a diverse racial and ethnic sample.
• To identify potential racial/ethnic differences in parental stress and coping.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey of 103 mothers with children in the ICU.
• Data collected within one week of ICU admission.
• Statistical analyses included ANOVA and linear regression to assess racial/ethnic differences and moderating effects.

Main Results:

• All mothers experienced similar ICU stressors during the acute phase.
• African American mothers reported higher distress and greater use of avoidance coping compared to Hispanic and White mothers.
• Hispanic mothers experienced the lowest levels of distress.

Conclusions:

• Future studies must prioritize racial and ethnic diversity in ICU parental stress research.
• Critical care nurses should mitigate stressors and support culturally relevant coping strategies.
• Recognizing diverse coping behaviors is essential for effective parental support.