PRETERM LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT INFANTS - HEALTH AND FAMILY OUTCOMES

Having a preterm low-birthweight infant influences a family's finances , social isolation, distress, and mastery (the four dimensions of the Impact on Family Scale). This longitudinal study examined health (acut e care visits, rehospitalizations, immunizations, well-child visits, a nd developmental outcomes) and family (Impact on Family Scale) outcome s of 224 preterm low-birthweight infants for the first six months foll owing infant hospital discharge. The impact on the family of having a preterm low-birthweight infant decreased over time. Families whose inf ants were rehospitalized reported that having a preterm low-birthweigh t infant had a greater impact on their family than did families whose infants were not rehospitalized. Families whose infants had more well- child visits also reported that having a preterm low-birthweight infan t had more impact on their families than did families who took their i nfants for fewer well-child visits. Infant health outcomes were reflec tive of other published norms; however, there was a high number of inf ants who were not adequately immunized.