Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-2021
Publisher
Thieme Publishing
Source Publication
American Journal of Perinatology
Source ISSN
0735-1631
Abstract
Objective Limited data are available regarding family and financial well-being among parents whose infants were hospitalized during the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The study objective was to evaluate the family and financial well-being of parents whose infants were hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during COVID-19.
Study Design Parents were recruited for this online, cross-sectional survey via support groups on social media. Data collection was completed between May 18, 2020 and July 31, 2020. The final sample consisted of 178 parents, who had an infant hospitalized in an NICU between February 1, 2020 and July 31, 2020. The primary outcomes were impact on family life and financial stability, as measured by the Impact on Family scale, an instrument that evaluates changes to family life as a result of infant or childhood illness.
Results Of the 178 parent respondents, 173 (97%) were mothers, 107 (59.4%) were non-Hispanic White, and 127 (69.5%) of the infants were born prematurely. Parents reported significant family impact and greater financial difficulty. Extremely premature infants, lower household income, parent mental health, and lower parental confidence were predictive of greater impacts on family life.
Conclusion Parents reported significant family and financial impacts during their infant's hospitalization amid COVID-19. Further studies are needed to guide clinical practice and inform family-supportive resources that can mitigate consequences to family well-being.
Recommended Citation
Vance, Ashlee J.; Malin, Kathryn J.; Chen, Bingxin; Shuman, Clayton J.; and Moore, Tiffany A., "Impacts of Neonatal Hospitalization on Families during the 2019 Coronavirus Pandemic" (2021). College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications. 921.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/nursing_fac/921
Comments
Accepted version. American Journal of Perinatology, Vol. 38, No. 11 (September 2021): 1201-1208. DOI. © 2021 Royal Society of Chemistry. Used with permission.