Environmental factors associated with stress in mothers of preterm newborns.
OBJECTIVE
In this study the effects of environmental and structural features of two different neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) settings on the time course of psychological distress in mothers of preterm infants were investigated.


METHODS
Levels of psychological distress in 21 mothers of premature infants hospitalized in the NICU of the Salesi Hospital were compared with levels of psychological distress in 21 mothers of premature infants from the NICU of the Sant'Orsola Hospital at three different times during hospitalization.


RESULTS
Data showed that mothers from the NICU of the Salesi Hospital, where there is no presence of any specialized figure and the access for parents to the unit is ruled by time schedules, reported higher levels of psychological distress than mothers from the NICU of the Sant'Orsola Hospital, characterized by the continuous presence and contact with the medical staff, which included physiotherapists and clinical psychologists, and free access to the unit for parents. Moreover, levels of psychological distress increased over time in mothers from the Salesi Hospital while levels of distress decreased or were simply maintained over time in mothers from the Sant'Orsola Hospital.


CONCLUSIONS
The present findings suggest that providing mothers with the opportunity of discussing the infant's clinical state with health professionals and receiving psychological support on a regular basis may reduce stressful feelings.
Trombini
E
E
Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Institute of Pediatrics, S. Orsola Hospital, Bologna, Italy. elena.trombini@unibo.it
Surcinelli
P
P
Piccioni
A
A
Alessandroni
R
R
Faldella
G
G
D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000458:organization & administration; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014789:Visitors to Patients