The dehospitalization of preterm children: biological, psychological and social spheres

• Grant number: 24/00398-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2024
• End date: October 04, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Maternal and Child Health
• Principal Investigator: Marisa Afonso de Andrade Brunherotti
• Grantee: Ariane Valadares Canuto
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria Adjunta de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação. Universidade de Franca (UNIFRAN). Franca , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/22541-8 - Family-centred Hospital Discharge of Preterm Infants: A Comparison of Practices in Two Neonatal Units in Brazil and England, BE.EP.IC

Abstract

Introduction: Discharging children born prematurely from hospital is a process that requires guidance and comprehensive care based on knowledge of the peculiarities of premature babies. Longitudinal monitoring of children must guarantee safe development and reach their best development potential. Given the insufficiency of support networks for families of children born prematurely, knowledge about the hospital discharge of these specific groups is necessary to support public health policies. Brazil ranks 100th in terms of premature births and dehospitalization is an important condition to guarantee the child's health and developmental potential. De-hospitalization should contribute to reducing neonatal mortality, highlighted in the 40th Sustainable Development Goal of Agenda 20230. Objective: Analyze the process of de-hospitalization of children born preterm at the Universo Prematuro® Care Center in the biological, psychological and social contextual spheres , inferring the health relationship. Methods: The study will be analytical, observational and cross-sectional. Fifty-three children born prematurely (stratified according to the preterm classification) of both sexes will be evaluated between the first six months of their corrected age, after hospital discharge and in follow-up at the Centro de Atendimento do Universo Prematuro®. Assessments will take place after hospital discharge and data will be analyzed: maternal and child characteristics, warning signs for atypical development (general, fine motor domains, language and social areas), adherence to breastfeeding, checking screening tests (fundus of the eyes , heel, ear, heart and tongue tests), vaccination and identification of the caregiver's voluntary demands. For statistical analysis, parametric data will be analyzed using the Student's T test and ANOVA Analysis of Variance. For analysis of non-parametric data, the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test will be used, considering statistical significance values of pd0.05. The study is expected to collaborate with findings that support the mechanisms of dehospitalization, which is based on comprehensiveness and coordination in a care network, to consolidate the process of specialized high-risk outpatient clinics, therapeutic plans that address the biopsychosocial problems of children born premature. Adding to the contribution to medical training for comprehensive child health care.