Affiliation:
1. Burwood Hospital Te Whatu Ora, Health New Zealand New Zealand
2. Department of Population Health University of Otago Christchurch New Zealand
3. Department of Paediatrics University of Otago Christchurch New Zealand
4. Christchurch Women's Hospital Te Whatu Ora, Health New Zealand Christchurch New Zealand
Abstract
AimVery preterm (VPT) birth is a known early vulnerability factor, impacting both physical and mental health over the life‐span. The additional burden of psychiatric illness in VPT adolescents is likely to adversely affect critical developmental tasks and personal, social and academic/vocational trajectories. Our aim was to examine the magnitude and extent of the risk of psychological burden by determining the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in our prospectively followed‐up VPT and full‐term (FT) control cohorts, in this period of developmental transition at age 17 years.MethodsRates of psychiatric disorder in the VPT and FT control cohorts were ascertained at clinical interview of the adolescents and their care giver(s) by an adolescent psychiatrist.ResultsVPT birth was associated with a greater risk of generalised anxiety disorder (VPT vs. FT risk ratio (RR) 2.33; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16, 4.67, P = 0.02), as well as attentional problems (VPT vs. FT RR 3.46; 95% CI: 1.01, 11.88, P = 0.03). Although care givers of VPT adolescents reported many social and communication difficulties, and observation at clinical interview supported this, our data did not reach clinical threshold for group differences in autistic spectrum disorder. For all other psychiatric disorders, there was no difference between VPT and FT control adolescents.ConclusionOur longitudinal cohort follow‐up study examining the late effects of VPT birth has demonstrated increased rates of clinically significant psychiatric disorder in this period of important developmental transition. Families and health professionals need to be aware of the increased risk so they can monitor for symptoms and seek effective mental health treatments and support.
Funder
Maurice and Phyllis Paykel Trust
Neurological Foundation of New Zealand
University of Otago
Subject
Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health
Cited by
1 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献