Family-Centered Care for LGBTQ+ Parents of Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: An Integrative Review
Author:
Yinger Olivia Swedberg1, Jones Aubrey2, Fallin-Bennett Keisa3ORCID, Gibbs Chelsea1, Farr Rachel H.4
Affiliation:
1. School of Music, College of Fine Arts, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA 2. College of Social Work, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA 3. Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA 4. Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
Abstract
Background: Having an infant in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can disrupt parent well-being, the transition to parenthood, and the typical trajectories of infant and child health. For lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or other sexual and gender minority identity (LGBTQ+) parents, this stress may be compounded by health disparities and fear of stigma and discrimination; however, research is lacking about LGBTQ+ parents of infants in the NICU. Objectives: The purpose of this integrative review was to better understand the experiences of LGBTQ+ parents of NICU infants, with a focus on experiences of stigma and discrimination, sources of strength and resilience, and provision of family-centered care. Method: We searched EBSCOHost, ProQuest, Web of Science, and Google Scholar between 30 May 2023 and 18 September 2023 for empirical studies published in English in peer-reviewed scholarly journals in which LGBTQ+ parents shared their experiences with having infants admitted to the NICU. Results: We identified six articles that met inclusion criteria, all of which were qualitative studies that included 12–14 LGBTQ+ parents of NICU infants. Conclusions: LGBTQ+ parents in all studies reported instances of perceived stigma and discrimination while their infants were in the NICU, whereas parents in two studies mentioned strength and resilience, and parents in three studies described elements of family-centered care. There is a need for rigorous research on family-centered NICU care that includes questions about sources of strength and resilience in addition to challenges. We propose that future researchers use community engaged methods to center perspectives of LGBTQ+ parents.
Funder
University of Kentucky Center for Health Equity Transformation Center for Clinical and Translational Science National Center for Research Resources Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health
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