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The experience of women from rural Australia with a preterm infant in a neonatal intensive care unit
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posted on 2023-02-21, 04:55 authored by KL Laidlaw, I Prichard, Linda SweetLinda SweetINTRODUCTION: This study aimed to understand the experiences of women from rural areas who have had a preterm infant admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit. The study population comprised five women aged 29-36 years who birthed a premature infant of less than 32 weeks gestation within the previous 6 months at the time of recruitment. The setting was in rural areas of Australia, in the states of Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews using video-conferencing explored the experiences of the women and were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Four key themes were identified from the data: emotional trauma, social displacement, external coping resources and craving continuity of care. Social displacement further impacted the emotional trauma already experienced by women who birthed a preterm infant by temporarily relocating to the city to be near to their infant in the neonatal intensive care unit. This led to the utilisation of additional socioeconomic resources including support from extended family and rural community members. The women highly valued yet struggled to find appropriate peer support and continuity of health care for their infant within their rural community after discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit. CONCLUSION: Health professionals have an opportunity to explore ways to address social displacement, particularly in relation to socioeconomic support and the involvement of extended family into a family integrated care framework within the neonatal intensive care unit. The long-term effects of this on the mother-infant dyad and the lack of appropriate community support also require further examination.
History
Journal
Rural and remote healthVolume
23Pagination
7440-Location
AustraliaPublisher DOI
ISSN
1445-6354eISSN
1445-6354Language
engIssue
1Publisher
Rural and Remote HealthUsage metrics
Categories
Keywords
birth traumafamily-centred carematernity caremidwiferypeer supportperinatal mental healthpremature birthsocial displacementwomen’s healthAustraliaInfantInfant, NewbornFemaleHumansInfant, PrematureIntensive Care Units, NeonatalRural PopulationMothersVictoriaPreterm, Low Birth Weight and Health of the NewbornInfant MortalityPerinatal Period - Conditions Originating in Perinatal PeriodPediatricRural HealthBehavioral and Social Science8.1 Organisation and delivery of services8 Health and social care services researchReproductive health and childbirth3 Good Health and Well BeingPublic Health and Health Services not elsewhere classifiedSpecialist Studies in Education not elsewhere classifiedNursing not elsewhere classified
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