Comparison of Parental In-Person Visitation and Webcam Usage Patterns at a Single-Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Autor: Shrea Goswami, Emily Mudd, John Chuo, Anirudha Das
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews, Vol 10, Iss 1, Pp 31-37 (2023)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2330-0698
55643922
DOI: 10.17294/2330-0698.1960
Popis: Purpose: Barriers to parents visiting the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in person for infant bonding include socioeconomic status, distance from NICU, and having children at home. Use of NICU bedside webcam can increase access to parent-infant interaction. This study aimed to describe the pattern of webcam logins by parents, relationship of logins to in-person visitation, and maternal factors affecting usage. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, data pertaining to parental webcam logins and in-person visitation, maternal screening for depression, anxiety, and stress, and family sociodemographics were collected from medical records. Relationships between chart variables and webcam or in-person visitation were measured using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and Mann-Whitney U test, as applicable. Login data were obtained from weeks 2 through 5 of NICU stay of the infant, while depression, anxiety, and stress scores were obtained in the second week as standard procedure by a dedicated NICU social worker. Results: A total of 59 mother-baby dyads were included. Percentage of days visited and webcam logins decreased from week 2 to week 5. A higher rate of webcam login was documented for all parents on days they did not visit in person. Parents who lived ≥ 15 miles away (P = 0.004) and those with government insurance (P = 0.01) visited in person significantly less, although webcam logins showed no difference between groups. One negative correlation was found between percentage of in-person visits and DASS-21 depression score (P = 0.03), but no such correlation was seen with webcam logins. Conclusions: Parents utilized NICU webcams to connect with their infants when unable to be at the bedside. Webcam use reduced visitation disparities known to be exacerbated by insurance status, home-to-hospital distance, and psychological distress.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals