2nd International closeness survey

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  The 2nd International Closeness Survey

• IRAS ID

  240746

• Contact name

  Caryl Skene

• Contact email

  caryl.skene@sth.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Turku

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 8 months, 28 days

• Research summary

  Summary of Research

  Background
  Parent-infant separation can lead to emotional-behavioral and cognitive problems of the infant, parent-infant attachment problems, parental stress, breast feeding problems, depression and anxiety. Practices supporting parent-infant closeness and participation can significantly impact on the infant’s outcome and parental wellbeing. Family Centred Care (FCC) is the care approach that supports parent-infant closeness and parent participation in neonatal care.

  Aims
  The overall aim of this study is to describe 1) parent-infant physical closeness and 2) the quality of FCC from the perspectives of both mothers and fathers in 25 Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) in 16 countries. In addition, the association between depression symptoms and parent-infant closeness and the quality of FCC during hospitalization will be analyzed. The Jessop Wing Neonatal Unit is the only UK unit involved in this study and will represent the UK in the overall research findings.

  Design
  A descriptive, comparative and correlative study, conducted during a three to six-month period in the 25 Neonatal Intensive Care Units in 16 countries in 2018.

  Methods
  Each NICU will recruit 30 families of infants born below 35 gestational weeks. They will complete a diary recording their experiences of closeness with their baby, for 2 weeks. Text messages will be sent throughout their hospital stay with questions designed to assess the quality of FCC. They will also receive a FCC questionnaire when their infant is 4 months corrected age.

  Parents’ depressive symptoms will be assessed at discharge and at 4 months after the expected delivery date and the association between depression symptoms and parent-infant closeness and the quality of FCC during hospitalization will be analyzed.

  Dissemination
  Findings from the study will be disseminated locally, nationally and internationally in peer reviewed journals and conference presentations

• REC name

  London - Chelsea Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  18/LO/0357

• Date of REC Opinion

  26 Feb 2018

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion