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Discover Pediatric Collections on COVID-19 and Racism and Its Effects on Pediatric Health

American Academy of Pediatrics
Article

Parent Health and Functioning 13 Months After Infant or Child NICU/PICU Death

JoAnne M. Youngblut, Dorothy Brooten, G. Patricia Cantwell, Teresa del Moral and Balagangadhar Totapally
Pediatrics November 2013, 132 (5) e1295-e1301; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-1194
JoAnne M. Youngblut
aNicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and
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Dorothy Brooten
aNicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and
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G. Patricia Cantwell
bMiller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Holtz Children’s Hospital/Jackson Memorial Medical Center, Miami, Florida
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Teresa del Moral
bMiller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Holtz Children’s Hospital/Jackson Memorial Medical Center, Miami, Florida
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Balagangadhar Totapally
cHerbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami Children’s Hospital, Miami, Florida; and
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: After a child’s death, parents may experience depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and increased risk for cancers, diabetes, psychiatric hospitalization, and suicide. Racial/ethnic differences are unknown. This longitudinal study investigated health and functioning of Hispanic, black, and white parents through 13 months after NICU/PICU death.

METHODS: Parents (176 mothers, 73 fathers) of 188 deceased infants/children were recruited from 4 NICUs, 4 PICUs, and state death certificates 2 to 3 weeks after death. Deaths occurred after limiting treatment/withdrawing life support (57%), unsuccessful resuscitation (32%), or brain death (11%). Data on parent physical health (hospitalizations, chronic illness), mental health (depression, PTSD, alcohol use), and functioning (partner status, employment) were collected in the home at 1, 3, 6, and 13 months after death.

RESULTS: Mean age for mothers was 32 ± 8, fathers 37 ± 9; 79% were Hispanic or black. Thirteen months after infant/child death, 72% of parents remained partnered, 2 mothers had newly diagnosed cancer, alcohol consumption was below problem drinking levels, parents had 98 hospitalizations (29% stress related) and 132 newly diagnosed chronic health conditions, 35% of mothers and 24% of fathers had clinical depression, and 35% of mothers and 30% of fathers had clinical PTSD. At 6 months after infant/child death, 1 mother attempted suicide. Week 1 after infant/child death, 9% of mothers and 32% of fathers returned to employment; 7 parents took no time off. More Hispanic and black mothers than white mothers had moderate/severe depression at 6 months after infant/child death and PTSD at every time point.

CONCLUSIONS: Parents, especially minority mothers, have negative physical and mental health outcomes during the first year after NICU/PICU death.

  • child death
  • infant death
  • NICU
  • PICU
  • parent mental health
  • parent chronic conditions
  • Accepted August 22, 2013.
  • Copyright © 2013 by the American Academy of Pediatrics

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Pediatrics
Vol. 132, Issue 5
1 Nov 2013
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Parent Health and Functioning 13 Months After Infant or Child NICU/PICU Death
JoAnne M. Youngblut, Dorothy Brooten, G. Patricia Cantwell, Teresa del Moral, Balagangadhar Totapally
Pediatrics Nov 2013, 132 (5) e1295-e1301; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2013-1194

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Parent Health and Functioning 13 Months After Infant or Child NICU/PICU Death
JoAnne M. Youngblut, Dorothy Brooten, G. Patricia Cantwell, Teresa del Moral, Balagangadhar Totapally
Pediatrics Nov 2013, 132 (5) e1295-e1301; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2013-1194
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