Craig F. Garfield MD, MAPP , Joshua E. Santiago MA , Kathryn L. Jackson MS , Kousiki Patra MD , Jeffrey L. Loughead MD , Joel B. Fisher MD , Kathleen O'Sullivan MS , Rebecca Christie MA , Young S. Lee PhD
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective
To assess the effectiveness of an mHealth neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parent support smartphone application to improve psychosocial well-being, specifically reduced stress and anxiety, increased parenting competence, and improved social support among a diverse group of parents with infants born preterm in 3 Chicago-area NICUs.
Study design
A time-lapsed, quasiexperimental design in which control participants were enrolled and then intervention participants enrolled. Data collection occurred at 3 timepoints: NICU admission (AD), discharge (DC), and 30 days post-DC (DC+30). Validated outcome measures included parenting sense of competence, stress, anxiety, and social support.
Results
Intention-to-treat analyses included 400 participants (156 intervention; 244 control). After covariate adjustment, a significant increase in parenting sense of competence (AD–DC, DC+30), decrease in stress (AD–DC+30), decrease in anxiety (AD–DC, DC+30), and increase in social support (AD–DC) were noted but did not differ by study arm. However, secondary analysis of parents with infants born at <32 weeks of gestational age (156 participants) showed decrease in stress (AD–DC+30) that was greater in intervention vs control group (P = .03). Among intervention participants who were Black, a significant increase in social support (AD–DC) total score (P = .01), and 2 subscales of emotional/informational support (P = .02) and positive social interaction (P = .02) were found.
Conclusions
This novel mHealth intervention shows evidence of reduced stress and anxiety while increasing social support among some subsets of parents at high risk of negative psychosocial experiences in the NICU, potentially enhancing outcomes for infants born preterm by ensuring that parents are less stressed and better supported.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Pediatrics is an international peer-reviewed journal that advances pediatric research and serves as a practical guide for pediatricians who manage health and diagnose and treat disorders in infants, children, and adolescents. The Journal publishes original work based on standards of excellence and expert review. The Journal seeks to publish high quality original articles that are immediately applicable to practice (basic science, translational research, evidence-based medicine), brief clinical and laboratory case reports, medical progress, expert commentary, grand rounds, insightful editorials, “classic” physical examinations, and novel insights into clinical and academic pediatric medicine related to every aspect of child health. Published monthly since 1932, The Journal of Pediatrics continues to promote the latest developments in pediatric medicine, child health, policy, and advocacy.
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