Family-centred Hospital Discharge of Preterm Infants: A Comparison of Practices in Two Neonatal Units in Brazil and England

• Grant number: 24/22541-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 03, 2025
• End date: May 02, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Maternal and Child Health
• Principal Investigator: Marisa Afonso de Andrade Brunherotti
• Grantee: Ariane Valadares Canuto
• Supervisor: Georg Andeas Peter Hollander
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria Adjunta de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação. Universidade de Franca (UNIFRAN). Franca , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Oxford, England
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/00398-9 - The dehospitalization of preterm children: biological, psychological and social spheres, BP.IC

Abstract

Introduction: Hospital discharge of preterm children requires comprehensive guidance and care, considering the specific needs of this group to ensure safe and optimized development. However, support networks for these families are often insufficient, highlighting the need to deepen knowledge on the discharge process of these newborns. Brazil ranks 9th globally in preterm births, while in the United Kingdom, 8% of births are preterm, which is one of the leading causes of infant morbidity and mortality. Proper discharge is crucial to reduce neonatal mortality, as highlighted by the 40th Sustainable Development Goal of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda. Objective: This study aims to identify and compare the discharge process of preterm infants in different political and territorial contexts between Brazil and England, focusing on great practices that could support the development of public health policies for children. Methods: This is an observational and comparative study with an experiential report component. Over a two-month period, neonatal care practices will be observed in the Neonatology Unit at the University of Oxford, England. The study will include routines for preterm infants (stratified by degree of prematurity), of both sexes, from hospitalization to hospital discharge. The analysis will cover neonatal care-oriented documents, daily routines of the multidisciplinary team, discharge preparation process, post-discharge follow-up referrals, and the infrastructure available to support the preterm infant and their family. Results will be presented descriptively, highlighting similarities and differences between discharge practices in a developed country (England) and a developing country (Brazil). It is hoped that the findings of this study will contribute to improving discharge mechanisms, promoting comprehensive care and coordination within healthcare networks. The results may support the establishment of specialized high-risk outpatient clinics and the development of therapeutic plans that meet the biopsychosocial needs of preterm infants. Additionally, the study aims to enhance the medical training of the study's candidate, with a focus on comprehensive paediatric care. The proposed study is directly aligned with the ongoing FAPESP project, number 2024/00398-9.