Neonatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic - a global survey of parents’ experiences regarding infant and family-centred developmental care
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions affect provision and quality of neonatal care. This global study explores parents’ experiences regarding the impact of the restrictions on key characteristics of infant and family-centred developmental care (IFCDC) during the first year of the pandemic....
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-09-01
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| Series: | EClinicalMedicine |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589537021003369 |
| _version_ | 1819134793861824512 |
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| author | Johanna Kostenzer Julia Hoffmann Charlotte von Rosenstiel-Pulver Aisling Walsh Luc J.I. Zimmermann Silke Mader |
| author_facet | Johanna Kostenzer Julia Hoffmann Charlotte von Rosenstiel-Pulver Aisling Walsh Luc J.I. Zimmermann Silke Mader |
| author_sort | Johanna Kostenzer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions affect provision and quality of neonatal care. This global study explores parents’ experiences regarding the impact of the restrictions on key characteristics of infant and family-centred developmental care (IFCDC) during the first year of the pandemic. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, a pre-tested online survey with 52 questions and translated into 23 languages was used to collect data between August and November 2020. Parents of sick or preterm infants born during the pandemic and receiving special/intensive care were eligible for participation. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and statistical testing based on different levels of restrictive measures. Findings: In total, 2103 participants from 56 countries provided interpretable data. Fifty-two percent of respondents were not allowed to have another person present during birth. Percentages increased with the extent of restrictions in the respondents’ country of residence (p = 0·002). Twenty-one percent of total respondents indicated that no-one was allowed to be present with the infant receiving special/intensive care. The frequency (p < 0·001) and duration (p = 0·001) of permitted presence largely depended on the extent of restrictions. The more restrictive the policy measures were, the more the respondents worried about the pandemic situation during pregnancy and after birth. Interpretation: COVID-19 related restrictions severely challenged evidence-based cornerstones of IFCDC, such as separating parents/ legal guardians and their newborns. Our findings must therefore be considered by public health experts and policy makers alike to reduce unnecessary suffering, calling for a zero separation policy. Funding: EFCNI received an earmarked donation by Novartis Pharma AG in support of this study. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T10:08:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8a711df24b314e2cba1120e42ed1161f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2589-5370 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T10:08:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | EClinicalMedicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-8a711df24b314e2cba1120e42ed1161f2022-12-21T18:29:55ZengElsevierEClinicalMedicine2589-53702021-09-0139101056Neonatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic - a global survey of parents’ experiences regarding infant and family-centred developmental careJohanna Kostenzer0Julia Hoffmann1Charlotte von Rosenstiel-Pulver2Aisling Walsh3Luc J.I. Zimmermann4Silke Mader5European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (EFCNI), Scientific Affairs, Hofmannstrasse 7A, Munich 81379, GermanyEuropean Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (EFCNI), Scientific Affairs, Hofmannstrasse 7A, Munich 81379, GermanyEuropean Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (EFCNI), Scientific Affairs, Hofmannstrasse 7A, Munich 81379, GermanyEuropean Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (EFCNI), Scientific Affairs, Hofmannstrasse 7A, Munich 81379, GermanyEuropean Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (EFCNI), Scientific Affairs, Hofmannstrasse 7A, Munich 81379, Germany; Department of Paediatrics, Research School Oncology and Development, Maastricht UMC+, Maastricht, the NetherlandsEuropean Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (EFCNI), Scientific Affairs, Hofmannstrasse 7A, Munich 81379, Germany; Corresponding author.Background: The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions affect provision and quality of neonatal care. This global study explores parents’ experiences regarding the impact of the restrictions on key characteristics of infant and family-centred developmental care (IFCDC) during the first year of the pandemic. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, a pre-tested online survey with 52 questions and translated into 23 languages was used to collect data between August and November 2020. Parents of sick or preterm infants born during the pandemic and receiving special/intensive care were eligible for participation. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and statistical testing based on different levels of restrictive measures. Findings: In total, 2103 participants from 56 countries provided interpretable data. Fifty-two percent of respondents were not allowed to have another person present during birth. Percentages increased with the extent of restrictions in the respondents’ country of residence (p = 0·002). Twenty-one percent of total respondents indicated that no-one was allowed to be present with the infant receiving special/intensive care. The frequency (p < 0·001) and duration (p = 0·001) of permitted presence largely depended on the extent of restrictions. The more restrictive the policy measures were, the more the respondents worried about the pandemic situation during pregnancy and after birth. Interpretation: COVID-19 related restrictions severely challenged evidence-based cornerstones of IFCDC, such as separating parents/ legal guardians and their newborns. Our findings must therefore be considered by public health experts and policy makers alike to reduce unnecessary suffering, calling for a zero separation policy. Funding: EFCNI received an earmarked donation by Novartis Pharma AG in support of this study.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589537021003369Preterm BirthNewborn InfantNeonatal Intensive Care UnitParentsCovid-19SARS-CoV-2 |
| spellingShingle | Johanna Kostenzer Julia Hoffmann Charlotte von Rosenstiel-Pulver Aisling Walsh Luc J.I. Zimmermann Silke Mader Neonatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic - a global survey of parents’ experiences regarding infant and family-centred developmental care EClinicalMedicine Preterm Birth Newborn Infant Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Parents Covid-19 SARS-CoV-2 |
| title | Neonatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic - a global survey of parents’ experiences regarding infant and family-centred developmental care |
| title_full | Neonatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic - a global survey of parents’ experiences regarding infant and family-centred developmental care |
| title_fullStr | Neonatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic - a global survey of parents’ experiences regarding infant and family-centred developmental care |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neonatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic - a global survey of parents’ experiences regarding infant and family-centred developmental care |
| title_short | Neonatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic - a global survey of parents’ experiences regarding infant and family-centred developmental care |
| title_sort | neonatal care during the covid 19 pandemic a global survey of parents experiences regarding infant and family centred developmental care |
| topic | Preterm Birth Newborn Infant Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Parents Covid-19 SARS-CoV-2 |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589537021003369 |
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