Factors associated with developmental concern and intent to access therapy following discharge from the NICU

Purpose: To determine factors associated with mothers' concern about infant development and intent to access therapy services following neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge. Methods: Infant medical factors, magnetic resonance imaging results, neurobehavior at term, maternal factors, and maternal perceptions about developmental concern and intent to access therapy at NICU discharge were prospectively collected in 84 infants born premature (<30 weeks gestation). Regression was used to determine factors associated with developmental concern and intent to access therapy at NICU discharge. Results: Decreased developmental concern was reported by mothers with more children (P = .007). Infant stress signs (P = .038), higher maternal education (P = .047), reading books (P = .030), and maternal depression (P = .018) were associated with increased developmental concern. More maternal education was associated with more intent to access services (P = .040). Conclusion: Maternal factors, rather than infant factors, had important associations with caregiver concern. In contrast, abnormal term neurobehavior and/or the presence of cerebral injury were not associated with caregiver concern about development.