Financial costs for parents with a baby in a neonatal nursery.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the additional financial cost to families of babies admitted to the nurseries of The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.


METHODS
Prospective case series of consecutive babies admitted to the Special and Intensive Care Nurseries at The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Data were collected from diaries completed by parents who recorded expenses related to having their baby in hospital. Fifty nine families of babies born <34 weeks' gestation who were hospitalised for at least 2 weeks.


RESULTS
The median expenditure per family per week was Australian (A) $243 and the median length of stay in the nurseries was 7 weeks. The major costs were related to food and transport. Expenses related to the expression/storage of breast milk and accommodation were also considerable consuming 11% and 14%, respectively of the weekly amount spent. Of the 23 families who reported lost or reduced income, the median amount lost per week per family was A$324.


CONCLUSIONS
The financial burden on families with babies admitted to a tertiary neonatal unit is substantial. The median cost per week was approximately one quarter of the average gross weekly income and included lost income as well as additional expenses. It is important that institutions and health-care systems recognise the magnitude of this additional burden on vulnerable families.
Argus
Brenda M
BM
Neonatal Services, The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. brenda.argus@thewomens.org.au
Dawson
Jennifer A
JA
Wong
Connie
C
Morley
Colin J
CJ
Davis
Peter G
PG
D000328:Adult; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000191:economics*; D010290:Parents; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012923:Social Class; D014739:Victoria; D055815:Young Adult