The stress levels of parents of premature infants and related factors in Nenoatal Intensive Care Units

Özet

The aim of this study is to determine the stress levels of parents whosepremature baby are hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) andto determine the factors affecting their stress. The study sample included 101parents of premature babies in the NICU of a university hospital. Interviewswere conducted with the parents. Additionally, the Parental Stress Scale:Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (PSS:NICU) was administered.When the stress levels of parents in the NICU were analyzed, it was foundthat their scores on the infant’s appearance and behaviors subscale of thePSS:NICU reflected the highest rate of stress. The mean score on the parentalrole alterations subscale was higher among mothers than fathers (p<0.05).Additionally, high stress levels were found among parents who had childrenother than their baby in the NICU, parents whose baby had a young gestationage and a low birthweight, parents whose baby was on a respiration device,and parents who had experienced a stressful event in the past year. Thestress levels of parents whose premature baby was hospitalized in the NICUwere also high. The family-centred approach is recommended to identify andmeet all the needs of all such parents.