title: Quality of life in parents of preterm infants in a randomized nutritional intervention trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Being a parent of a very-low birth weight (VLBW, birth weight <1,500 g) infant is challenging because of the numerous complications these infants may encounter, many of which are caused by inadequate nutrition. Whether the burden to the parents increases when their VLBW infant participates in a randomized intervention trial (RCT) and is thus exposed to additional risk is unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine parental qualify of life (QoL) and well-being after participation of their VLBW infants in a nutrition RCT.
  
  
  METHODS
  QoL and symptoms associated with well-being of parents of VLBW infants participating in a nutrition RCT (n=31) and of a reference group (parents of nonparticipating VBLW infants,n=31) were examined. Assessments were performed when their infants were in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) (time point T1) and concurrently at 3.5 years of age (time point T2). The parents completed the following questionnaires: Quality of Life Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Lee Fatigue Scale (LFS), and General Sleeping Disturbance Scale (GSDS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At T1, the QoL was better among RCT parents (p=0.02). At T2, the RCT parents reported less sleep disturbance symptoms (GSDS) (p=0.03) and more energy (LFS) (p=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The RCT participation of VLBW infants may have improved parental QoL. While in the neonatal unit, symptoms of anxiety and depression were common among all parents. The high incidence of anxiety and depression in parents must be considered in the care of parents in the NICU. Long-term effects of participation seem to be less sleep problems and more energy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Akershus University Hospital, Nordbyhagen, Norway.|Institute for Clinical Medicine, Campus Ahus, University of Oslo, Nordbyhagen, Norway; trond.nordheim@medisin.uio.no.
authors.forename: Trond
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nordheim
authors.affiliation: Department of Research and Development, Division of Emergencies and Critical Care, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.|Department of Nursing Science, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Tone
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rustøen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.|Department of Haematology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Per O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Iversen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Akershus University Hospital, Nordbyhagen, Norway.|Institute for Clinical Medicine, Campus Ahus, University of Oslo, Nordbyhagen, Norway.
authors.forename: Britt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nakstad
keywords: anxiety; depression; parents; premature; quality of life; very low birth weight