Maternal Sick Leave Due to Psychiatric Disorders Following the Birth of a Child With Special Health Care Needs.
OBJECTIVE
Child-related stress following the birth of a child with special health care needs (SHCN) can take a toll on parental health. This study examined how the risk of sick leave due to psychiatric disorders (PD) among mothers of children with SHCN compares with that of mothers of children without SHCN during early motherhood.


METHODS
Responses from 58,532 mothers participating in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study were linked to national registries and monitored for physician-certified sick leave from the month of their child's first birthday until the month of their child's fourth birthday.


RESULTS
As compared with mothers of children without SHCN, mothers of children with mild and moderate/severe care needs were at substantial risk of a long-term sick leave due to PD in general and due to depression more specifically.


CONCLUSIONS
Extensive childhood care needs are strongly associated with impaired mental health in maternal caregivers during early motherhood.
Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, laha@fhi.no.
Lars Johan
LJ
Hauge
Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
Ragnhild Bang
RB
Nes
Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Research Department, Statistics Norway.
Tom
T
Kornstad
Department of Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, National Institute of Occupational Health, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo.
Petter
P
Kristensen
Department of Global Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen.
Lorentz M
LM
Irgens
Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Department of Child and Adolescent Health Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich.
Markus A
MA
Landolt
Research Department, Sørlandet Hospital, and.
Leif T
LT
Eskedal
Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Psychological Institute, University of Oslo.
Margarete E
ME
Vollrath
D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology
Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study; child care; depression; employment; sick leave; special health care needs; work absence