Anxiety, Depression and Health Profile in Mothers with Children in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate, anxiety, depression and health profile among mothers of patients at pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and pediatric inpatient service (PIS).

Methods: The sample consisted of a total of 40 mothers, including mothers with children in a PICU (group I) and PIS (group II). The mothers’ quality of life was measured with the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), anxiety was measured with the State- Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and depression levels were measured with the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck-D) for the all mothers.

Results: The mean age of the mothers was 31.5 years for group I and 31.25 years for group II. The mean total NHP score of the mothers was 279.0 for group I and 113.33 for group II. The mean total STAI-S score of mothers was 37.1 for group I and 36.65 for group II. The mean total of STAI-T score of mothers was 46.9 for group I and 47.75 for group II. The mean total Beck-D score was 39.7 for group I and 18.5 for group II. There was a statistically significant differences in the levels of anxiety, depression and health profile between the mothers with children in the PICU and those with children in the PIS (p<0.001).

Conclusion: This study showed that having a critically ill child at a PICU unit has negative 17 effect on mothers' depression levels, state anxiety levels and health profile.