Home oxygen therapy in the newborn. Costs and parental acceptance.
To assess the cost of and parental response to home oxygen therapy in the newborn, a telephone survey was conducted of 34 families of infants discharged from our intensive care nursery along with supplemental oxygen therapy. Mean birth weight was 1988 g and gestational age was 33 weeks. The mean length of time oxygen was required at home was 74 days. Savings were estimated for each infant and were found to average $33,370. The typical problems encountered by these families are described. Despite the inconveniences involved, 94% of these families stated they would again take a baby home while oxygen dependent if necessary.
D001294:Attitude to Health; D001785:Blood Gas Monitoring, Transcutaneous; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000191:economics*; D010290:Parents