Mika Niemelä1, Lotta Kinnunen2, Reija Paananen3, Helinä Hakko2, Marko Merikukka3, Vesa Karttunen4, Mika Gissler5, Sami Räsänen6. 1. National Institute for Health and Welfare, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit, Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: mika.niemela@thl.fi. 2. Oulu University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Oulu, Finland. 3. National Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Children, Young People and Families Oulu, Finland. 4. Oulu University Hospital, Department of Neurology, Oulu, Finland. 5. National Institute for Health and Welfare, Information Department, Helsinki, Finland, Nordic School of Public Health NHV, Gothenburg, Sweden. 6. Oulu Deaconess Institute, Oulu, Finland.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) of a parent causes significant changes in their family life and parent-children relationships. However, the number of children affected by parental TBI and the long-term consequences for these children remain unknown. We estimated the prevalence of children affected by parental TBI and investigated whether these children had greater use of psychiatric services than their peers. METHODS: This a retrospective population-based register study. All 60,069 children born in Finland in 1987 were followed up through national health and social registers from 1987 to 2008. RESULTS: During the 21-year follow-up, 1532 (2.6%) children had a parent with TBI. Overall, 22.5% of those having a parent with TBI were treated in specialized psychiatric care. Use of psychiatric care was significantly increased among those cohort members with a parent with mild [odds ratio (OR) 1.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.37-2.38] or severe (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.12-1.98) TBI compared to their peers. CONCLUSIONS: Parental TBI is associated with increased use of specialized psychiatric services by children. Adult health care services must have appropriate systems in place to address the psychosocial needs and support the welfare and development of children of patients with TBI.
OBJECTIVE: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) of a parent causes significant changes in their family life and parent-children relationships. However, the number of children affected by parental TBI and the long-term consequences for these children remain unknown. We estimated the prevalence of children affected by parental TBI and investigated whether these children had greater use of psychiatric services than their peers. METHODS: This a retrospective population-based register study. All 60,069 children born in Finland in 1987 were followed up through national health and social registers from 1987 to 2008. RESULTS: During the 21-year follow-up, 1532 (2.6%) children had a parent with TBI. Overall, 22.5% of those having a parent with TBI were treated in specialized psychiatric care. Use of psychiatric care was significantly increased among those cohort members with a parent with mild [odds ratio (OR) 1.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.37-2.38] or severe (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.12-1.98) TBI compared to their peers. CONCLUSIONS: Parental TBI is associated with increased use of specialized psychiatric services by children. Adult health care services must have appropriate systems in place to address the psychosocial needs and support the welfare and development of children of patients with TBI.
Authors: Saira Ahmed; Gregory H Gorman; Apryl Susi; Brian D Robertson; Jacob F Collen; Elizabeth J Hisle-Gorman Journal: J Clin Sleep Med Date: 2020-09-15 Impact factor: 4.062