https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-Farr2022

Farr, B. J., Evans, A. M., Rush, T. M., Grabill, C. M., Ricca, R. L., & Rice-Townsend, S. E. (2022). New mental health diagnoses in parents of infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit—A retrospective review of the Military Health System database. Journal of Perinatology, 42, 738-744. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-022-01331-7

Using a sample of 35,012 military parents of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) infants and non-NICU infants, this study examined whether parents of NICU infants were at a greater risk of later mental health disorders (i.e., depression, anxiety, alcohol/opiate dependence, and adjustment disorder) than parents of non-NICU infants 5 years after childbirth. The study also examined associations between parents’ demographics at childbirth (e.g., branch of service, rank, duty status, race, age) and later diagnosed mental health disorders. Overall, parents of NICU infants were more likely to experience later mental health problems than non-NICU parents.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-022-01331-7

Parents
Mental health
Substance use

Multiple branches
Navy
Air Force
Marine Corps
Coast Guard

Guard
Reserve
Veteran

Active duty service member
Veteran

Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)

Quantitative Study

Farr, Bethany J., Evans, Amber M., Rush, Toni M., Grabill, Colette M., Ricca, Robert L., Rice-Townsend, Samuel E.

Objective Studies suggest that parents of NICU infants are at increased risk of mental health disorders. We sought to characterize this risk using a large database. Study design The Military Health System was used to retrospectively link records between parents and infants admitted to a NICU over 5 years and were matched to similar families without NICU exposure. The total study population included 35,012 infants. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between NICU exposure and parental mental health diagnoses within 5 years of infant birth. Results Maternal NICU exposure was associated with incident diagnoses of depression (OR: 1.18–1.27, p < 0.0001), anxiety (OR: 1.06–1.18, p = 0.0151), alcohol/opiate dependence (OR: 1.29–1.52, p = 0.0079), and adjustment disorder (OR: 0.97–1.18, p = 0.0224). Paternal NICU exposure was associated with alcohol/opiate dependence (OR: 0.78–1.42, p = 0.0339). Conclusion Parents of NICU infants are at risk of developing mental health disorders. Future work should identify characteristics that predict highest risk to develop effective interventions.

Springer Nature

Article
REACH Publication

Department of Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, BJF
Health ResearchTx, LLC, AME
Health ResearchTx, LLC, TMR
Department of Neonatology, Naval Medical Center, CMG
Department of Surgery, Naval Medical Center, RLR
Department of Surgery, Seattle Children’s Hospital, University of Washington, SERT