Home oxygen therapy in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia: assessmentof parental anxiety

Background: It is conceivable that a complicated recovery course in a high- risk premature infant managed at home generates apprehension and anxiety in parents. Aims: We attempted to define the evolution of anxiety levels in a population of parents of low-birth-weight premature infants with bronchopu lmonary dysplasia enrolled in a prospective home O-2 therapy program. Study design: In the immediate pre-discharge [mean postnatal age 95 (45-158) day s], a questionnaire (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory form Y) was given to all parents of the premature infants [mean birth weight 1106 (0.610-1.770) kg; mean gestational age 27.1 (24-31) weeks] present for the discharge. Subseq uently, the parents were assessed twice, initially after a week from the di scharge of their infants and then at the end of the oxygen therapy phase [m ean postnatal age 185 (60-361) days]. They included 10 mothers and 10 fathe rs, aged 33.5 +/- 0.5 and 37 +/- 0.2 years, respectively. Results: Our resu lts indicate that these parents present an increased state anxiety level up on hospital discharge of their oxygen-dependent premature infants, which de creases as the improvement of respiratory status and the cessation of oxyge n-dependency become evident [mean +/- S.D. related to age (T) maternal valu es 47.1 +/- 7.0, 41.8 +/- 5.6, 39.1 +/- 4.7, respectively; mean: +/- S.D. r elated to age (T) paternal values 42.2 +/- 8.5, 41.1 +/- 8.1, 40.5 +/- 8.2, respectively]. When assessed separately by parental gender, in the materna l group, state anxiety decreased significantly (ANOVA, p < 0.05). Conclusio ns: These data indicate that although neonatologists generally define the d ischarge of prematures with chronic lung disease based upon the acquired st abilization of vital parameters, in the oxygen-dependent group, they should also pay special attention to the emotional support of the parents who we have identified as being at increased risk for pre-discharge anxiety. (C) 2 001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.