The Status Of Coping Ability And Its Influencing Factors Among Discharged Premature Infants’ Mothers

Objective:The study aims to investigate the coping ability level among the mothers of premature infants in home care,describe the characteristics of their coping ability in home care and explore the relevant influencing factors.Methods:Our study used a cross-sectional approach to facilitate the collection of 235follow-up mothers of preterm infants,between September 2020 and November 2021,where in Bai Se city.The mothers of premature infants were investigated by general information questionnaire,Social Support Rating Scale and Parent’s Perception Uncertainty Scale-family before discharge;One month after discharge,preterm infants were investigated with Chinese Version of Parenting Sense of Competence Scale and Discharged Premature Infants? Parents Coping Ability Questionnaire.SPSS 23.0 was used for data calculation and analysis.Select mean,standard deviation and percentage to describe the data;T-test,one-way ANOVA and Nonparametric tests were used to compare the measurement data;The relationship between variables was discussed by Spearman correlation analysis;Multivariate analysis was performed by hierarchical multivariate linear regression.Results:.(1)The total score of preterm mothers’ social support rating scale was(39.80±7.48),which was lower than the domestic norm(P<0.001).Among the average scores of items in each dimension,the score of subjective support is the highest(5.20±1.18),and the utilization of support is the lowest(2.95±0.64).(2)The total score of maternal disease uncertainty parental scale of preterm infants was(84.60±15.56),which was at a higher level.The average score of complexity of disease was the highest(3.09±0.69),and the average score of ambiguity was the lowest(2.95±0.69).(3)The total score of maternal parenting competence scale for preterm infants was(66.59±9.60),which was lower than the domestic norm(P< 0.05);The average scores of parenting efficacy and parenting satisfaction were(4.09±0.58)and(3.76±0.61)respectively.(4)The total score of home care coping ability of mothers of preterm infants was(153.91±16.01),which was at the medium level.Among the average scores of all dimensions,positive coping scored the highest(4.14±0.67),followed by external support(3.98±0.64),and negative coping scored the lowest(3.38±0.74).(5)Different birth weight,gestational age,maternal age of preterm infants,pregnancy and childbirth history,educational level,residence,per capita monthly income and care types had significant effects on the scores of coping ability among preterm infants’ mothers(P<0.05).(6)Spearman correlation analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between the coping ability of home care of preterm mothers and social support and its three dimensions,parenting competence and its two dimensions(P<0.05);There was a negative correlation with disease uncertainty and its four dimensions(P<0.05).(7)The results of stratified multiple linear regression showed that the birth weight of preterm infants,the educational level and pregnancy history of mothers,the type of home care,the subjective support,objective support and utilization of social support,the complexity and unpredictability of disease uncertainty,parenting satisfaction and parenting efficiency in parenting competence were the influencing factors of the coping ability of preterm mothers in home care(P<0.05).A total of 70.30% of the total variation of the coping ability among preterm mothers in home care was explained.Conclusion:(1)The social support and parenting efficacy of preterm mothers were at a lower level,the coping ability of home care was at a medium level,and the level of disease uncertainty was higher.(2)The coping ability of preterm mothers’ home care is correlated with social support,disease uncertainty and childcare competence,that is,the higher the level of preterm mothers’ social support and childcare competence,the stronger their coping ability of home care,which is conducive to the mothers’ undertaking of care tasks;The higher the level of maternal disease uncertainty of preterm infants,the weaker their ability to cope with home care,which hinders the growth and development of preterm infants outside the hospital.(3)The birth weight of preterm infants,the educational level and pregnancy history of mothers,type of home care,subjective support,objective support,utilization of support,the complexity and unpredictability of disease,parenting efficacy and parenting satisfaction were independent influencing factors on the coping ability of preterm mothers in home care.(4)Medical workers should work with hospitals,communities and families to optimize guidance and continuing care programs for the needs of mothers of preterm infants for external support and disease information,so as to improve mothers’ parenting experience and coping ability in the care process,reducing the readmission rate of preterm infants.