Physiotherapist on the move: where babies at risk are referred for follow-up after hospital discharge

Abstract

Introduction Two facts may influence a newborn’s development. One is to be a newborn at risk and the other is to be hospitalized in Intensive Care Unit. Objective To examine where at-risk infants are being referred for longitudinal follow-up after hospital discharge, and to carry out an analysis of the epidemiological and care profile of these babies. Methods Documentary, descriptive and retrospective study, comprising the medical records of 479 newborns (NBs) hospitalized Hospital Materno Infantil Presidente Vargas from January 2019 to May 2020. The variables studied were: gender, baby's race/color, type of delivery, prenatal consultations, classification according to gestational age, weight, Apgar of the 1st, 5th, 10th minute, hospitalization diagnosis, main diagnosis, outcomes, length of stay, multidisciplinary follow-up during hospitalization, post-discharge referrals (specialized and non-specialized). Social and environmental data were: maternal age and race/color, maternal and paternal education. Results Higher prevalence of full-term male babies born by cesarean delivery, declared as white, with high Apgar scores, with varied diagnoses, with prematurity prevailing. Maternal mean was 26.2 years, (SD ± 7.3), the most reported race/color was also white, the mean of mothers' studies was 8.1 years (SD ± 2.4). Only 14% (n = 67) performed motor physical therapy at the hospital and 2.1% (n = 10) were referred for evaluation and early intervention for post-discharge physical therapy. The specialized service with the highest referral was the hospital's neuropediatrics graduates' outpatient clinic (17.3%, n = 83) and, for the non-specialized, it was the Basic Health Unit/BHU (39.7%, n = 190). Conclusion Most NBs are referred to the specific medical team or post-discharge BHU. The physiotherapist was the professional little remembered for monitoring this public in the hospital and after discharge.