Background Having a preterm newborn and the experience of staying in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) has the potential to impact a mother’s mental health and overall quality of life. However, currently there are few studies that have examined the association of acute post-traumatic stress (PTS) and depression symptoms and infant and maternal outcomes in low-income populations. Design/ methods In a cross-sectional study, we examined adjusted associations between positive screens for PTS and depression using the Perinatal Post-traumatic stress Questionnaire (PPQ) and the Patient Health-Questionnaire 2 (PHQ-2) with outcomes using unconditional logistic and linear regression models. Results One hundred sixty-nine parents answered the questionnaire with 150 complete responses. The majority of our sample was Hispanic (68%), non-English speaking (67%) and reported an annual income of <$20,000 (58%). 33% of the participants had a positive PPQ screen and 34% a positive PHQ-2 screen. After adjusting for confounders, we identified that a positive PHQ-2 depression score was associated with a negative unit (95% CI) change on the infant’s Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, second edition of − 9.08 (− 15.6, − 2.6) (p < 0.01). There were no significant associations between maternal stress and depression scores and infant Bayley Scales of Infant Development III scores or re-hospitalizations or emergency room visits. However, positive PPQ and screening score were associated with a negative unit (95% CI) unit change on the maternal Multicultural Quality of Life Index score of − 8.1 (− 12, − 3.9)(p < 0.01) and − 7.7 (− 12, − 3) (p = 0.01) respectively. Conclusions More than one-third of the mothers in this sample screened positively for PTS and depression symptoms. Screening scores positive for stress and depression symptoms were associated with a negative change in some infant development scores and maternal quality of life scores. Thoughtful screening programs for maternal stress and depression symptoms should be instituted.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of access to communication technology on caregiver quality of life, neurodevelopmental, and medical outcomes (eg, rehospitalization, emergency room visits, or surgeries) in preterm infants, and enrollment in public assistance programs. In this cross-sectional study, we surveyed families of preterm infants in a high-risk infant-follow-up clinic. We estimated associations of access to various modes of communication technology with outcomes, adjusting for sociodemographic and infant characteristics using linear and unconditional logistic regression. Access to email, text messaging, and smartphones was associated with higher quality of life scores on the Multicultural Quality of Life Index, and email and smartphone access was significantly associated with increased enrollment in early intervention. Evaluating smartphone and email access on neonatal intensive care unit discharge is important when considering enrollment in community programs and caregiver quality of life.
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