The Effect of Implementing a Discharge Program on Quality of Life of Mothers with Premature Infants

Background:Quality of life is low among mothers of premature infants; therefore, developing a post-discharge care program can be effective. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effect of implementing a discharge program on the quality of life of mothers with premature infants. Method: This randomized, controlled, clinical trial was conducted on 60 mothers with premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of BentolHoda Hospital, Bojnord, Iran, during 2015-2016. The participants were divided into two groups of intervention (four training sessions on caring for premature infant, screening, and four-week telephone counseling post-discharge) and control (routin care in NICU). Maternal quality of life was evaluated using the short form of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire at the onset of the study, at discharge, and four weeks after discharge. The data was analyzed in SPSS, version 16, using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The mean ages of the intervention and control groups were 26.8±5.1 and 29.5±5.3 years, respectively. According to the findings of independent t-test, the total mean score for maternal quality of life before the intervention showed no significant differences between the intervention and control groups (P=0.48). However, the results of repeated measures ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences between the scores of quality of life at three-time measurements within both study groups (P<0.001). Implications for Practice: The designed premature infant discharge program can improve quality of life of mothers. Thus, we suggest it as an effective method for promoting quality of life among mothers of preterm infants. 

Keywords:

Discharge program , Premature Infants , Quality of life