title: Parents' Acute Illnesses, Hospitalizations, and Medication Changes During the Difficult First Year After Infant or Child NICU/PICU Death.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Infant/child death is described as a most stressful life event; however, there are few reports of effects on parent physical health during the first year after the death. The study's purpose is to examine the patterns of parent acute illnesses, hospitalizations, and medication changes over 1 to 13 months after neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) infant/child death in 3 racial/ethnic groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Secondary analyses were conducted with longitudinal data on parent health and functioning 1 to 13 months after infant/child NICU/PICU death. Parents (176 mothers, 73 fathers; 44% Hispanic, 35% black non-Hispanic, and 21% white non-Hispanic) of deceased infants/children were recruited from 4 children's hospitals and state death records. Inclusion criteria-parents understood English or Spanish and had a deceased neonate/child ≤ 18. Exclusion criteria -deceased newborn from multiple gestation pregnancy, child in foster care, child's injury due to suspected abuse, or parent death in illness/injury event. Parents reported numbers and types of acute illnesses, hospitalizations, and medication changes 1 to 13 months postdeath.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Parents' acute illnesses, hospitalizations, and medication changes were greatest between months 1 and 6, with relative quiescence in months 7 to 10, and an increase in months 11 to 13. Mothers (aged 32 ± 7.8 years) reported 300 acute illnesses (primarily colds/flu, headaches, anxiety/depression, and infections) and 89 hospitalizations (primarily infections, chest pain, and gastrointestinal problems). Fathers (aged 37 ± 8.8 years) reported 104 acute illnesses (colds/flu and headaches) and 9 hospitalizations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After infant/child NICU/PICU death, mothers had greater morbidity than fathers, with no significant differences by race/ethnicity. Parents' health needs to be monitored in months 1 to 6 and months 11 to 13, and interventions targeted to parents in these months.
authors.affiliation: 1 Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Dorothy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brooten
authors.affiliation: 1 Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: JoAnne M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Youngblut
authors.affiliation: 1 Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caicedo
authors.affiliation: 2 University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Del Moral
authors.affiliation: 2 University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: G Patricia
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Cantwell
authors.affiliation: 3 Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Balagangadhar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Totapally
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D000328:Adult; D005220:Fathers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010290:Parents; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D055553:Prescription Drugs
keywords: NICU death; PICU death; bereaved parents; child death; infant death; parents’ acute illnesses; parents’ hospitalizations