Trond Nordheim1, Tone Rustøen2, Anne Lee Solevåg3, Milada Cvancarova Småstuen4, Britt Nakstad5. 1. Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Akershus University Hospital, Nordbyhagen, Norway; Institute for Clinical Medicine, Campus Ahus, University of Oslo, Nordbyhagen, Norway. Electronic address: trond.nordheim@medisin.uio.no. 2. Department of Research and Development, Division of Emergencies and Critical Care, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Institute of Health and Society, Department of Nursing Science, University of Oslo, Norway. 3. Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Akershus University Hospital, Nordbyhagen, Norway. 4. Department of Research and Development, Division of Emergencies and Critical Care, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Department of Public Health, Faculty of Nursing Science, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Oslo, Norway. 5. Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Akershus University Hospital, Nordbyhagen, Norway; Institute for Clinical Medicine, Campus Ahus, University of Oslo, Nordbyhagen, Norway.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Being a parent of a very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infant can be stressful. We aimed to describe parental hope 42months after the birth of a VLBW infant and determine whether there is an association between hope and parenting stress with quality of life (QoL), respectively. DESIGN AND METHODS: Fifty-nine parents of VLBW infants completed questionnaires about hope, parenting stress and QoL. Pearson correlation coefficients (r) and linear regression models were used to examine the relationship between the selected variables. To compare groups, t-test was used and Cohen's d for effect size was calculated. RESULTS: Parents of VLBW infants were more hopeful than the general population (p<0.001). Parenting stress and hope were both independently associated with QoL (p<0.001). The subgroup of parents of infants with birth weight <1000g had less hope (p=0.041) and higher parenting stress (p=0.041) than parents of infants with birth weight 1000-1500g. CONCLUSIONS: Hope and parenting stress were both independent determinants of QoL. Parents of the presumably sickest infants had less hope and higher parenting stress than parents of VLBW infants with a birth weight over 1000g. Hope should be further explored as a coping mechanism in parents of VLBW infants. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The clinical implications of the strong association between hope, parenting stress and QoL remain to be determined, but reducing stress and strengthening hope seem to be important. This should be taken into account both at hospital discharge and at follow-up, especially for lower-birth-weight infants.
PURPOSE: Being a parent of a very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infant can be stressful. We aimed to describe parental hope 42months after the birth of a VLBW infant and determine whether there is an association between hope and parenting stress with quality of life (QoL), respectively. DESIGN AND METHODS: Fifty-nine parents of VLBW infants completed questionnaires about hope, parenting stress and QoL. Pearson correlation coefficients (r) and linear regression models were used to examine the relationship between the selected variables. To compare groups, t-test was used and Cohen's d for effect size was calculated. RESULTS: Parents of VLBW infants were more hopeful than the general population (p<0.001). Parenting stress and hope were both independently associated with QoL (p<0.001). The subgroup of parents of infants with birth weight <1000g had less hope (p=0.041) and higher parenting stress (p=0.041) than parents of infants with birth weight 1000-1500g. CONCLUSIONS: Hope and parenting stress were both independent determinants of QoL. Parents of the presumably sickest infants had less hope and higher parenting stress than parents of VLBW infants with a birth weight over 1000g. Hope should be further explored as a coping mechanism in parents of VLBW infants. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The clinical implications of the strong association between hope, parenting stress and QoL remain to be determined, but reducing stress and strengthening hope seem to be important. This should be taken into account both at hospital discharge and at follow-up, especially for lower-birth-weight infants.
Authors: Eva Mautner; Christina Stern; Alexander Avian; Maria Deutsch; Herbert Fluhr; Elfriede Greimel Journal: Front Pediatr Date: 2022-05-10 Impact factor: 3.569