Citation

Bertsch CM, Mullins SM, Chaffin M. Appl. Nurs. Res. 2006; 19(1): 10-15.

Affiliation

Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, OK 73190, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.apnr.2005.03.003

PMID

16455436

Abstract

The health care use patterns, suspected maltreatment, and growth trajectories of siblings of infants with prenatal drug exposure were examined. Ninety-three siblings of drug-exposed infants were matched with patients from the same primary care clinic. The case patients were found to have significantly fewer health care contacts, more deficient immunizations, and more reports of suspected child maltreatment. Although they did not differ in birth weight, growth curve modeling found that case patients had lower weight gain trajectories. When drug-exposed infants are identified, nursing personnel are in a unique position to assist the siblings of those identified infants obtain needed medical care and services.

Language: en