Abstract
Objective
To investigate the relationship between the beliefs of parents of premature newborns in a neonatal intensive care unit with sociodemographic and clinical variables regarding their care capacity using the Parental Belief Scale.
Methods
Cross-sectional study of 97 fathers and/or mothers of preterm infants hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Intermediate Care Unit of a medium-sized university hospital in the western region of Paraná. The data collection period was between October 2015 and May 2016 using the Parental Belief Scale validated for Brazil, and a sociodemographic instrument and of newborns’ clinical variables. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyzes were performed and the association between the scale scores was evaluated using the chi-square test for independence with sociodemographic and categorical clinical variables.
Results
The scale was answered by 86 (88.7%) mothers and 11 (11.3%) fathers. A significant association with the age of the other children in addition to the premature with categories of the scale was found. An inverse relationship for scores of the scale related to family income, maternal age and schooling was found, with a statistically significant association with family income. Regarding participants’ care capacity, 35 fathers and/or mothers were identified with sufficiency, 49 fathers and/or mothers with moderate sufficiency and 13 fathers and/or mothers with moderate insufficiency.
Conclusion
The scale presented appropriate application in view of the beliefs in the care capacity of parents of preterm infants, indicating the influential sociodemographic factors. Most caregivers demonstrated care capacity.
Infant, premature; Child care; Parenting; Intensive care units, neonatal