title: Parenting roles and knowledge in neonatal intensive care units: protocol of a mixed methods study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a strong focus on the translation of scientific knowledge into evidence-based practice when dealing with very preterm births. The aim is to standardise and rationalise healthcare. The incorporation of parents' perspectives with respect to the organisation of care and technical interventions in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) is needed. This study aims to analyse the repertoire of meanings, knowledge and emotions actualised by the parents of very preterm infants hospitalised in NICUs in the decision process regarding parental care, treatment options and uses of information sources.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a mixed-methods, observational study. The methodological strategy will rely on: (1) Ethnographic observation, carried out in a level III NICU located in the North of Portugal, during 6 months; (2) NICU-based surveys of mothers and fathers of very preterm infants born between July 2013 and June 2014 and admitted at the seven public level III NICUs of the Northern Health Region of Portugal; (3) Single and couple semistructured interviews to a subsample of mothers and fathers of very preterm infants, 4 months after birth. Inferential statistics will be used to analyse the quantitative data and content analysis, with an iterative and reflexive process and will be implemented to assess qualitative data.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The study protocol was approved by the National Data Protection Commission and the Ethics Committee of all the hospitals involved. The current project will contribute to develop resources for enriched good medical practices in the context of neonatal services through integrating insights from social sciences, public health, epidemiology and ethics. The expected dissemination actions are effective tools in designing strategies that aim to develop family-centred care and to improve medical practices in the context of neonatal services.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health-University of Porto (ISPUP), Porto, Portugal Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Predictive Medicine and Public Health, University of Porto Medical School, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Elisabete
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health-University of Porto (ISPUP), Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amorim
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health-University of Porto (ISPUP), Porto, Portugal Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Predictive Medicine and Public Health, University of Porto Medical School, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sílvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fraga
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health-University of Porto (ISPUP), Porto, Portugal Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Predictive Medicine and Public Health, University of Porto Medical School, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Henrique
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health-University of Porto (ISPUP), Porto, Portugal Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Predictive Medicine and Public Health, University of Porto Medical School, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D016487:Parenting; D012107:Research Design
keywords: Epidemiology; Ethics (see Medical Ethics); Public Health