Smith M A, Baum J D
Arch Dis Child. 1983 Jan;58(1):56-9. doi: 10.1136/adc.58.1.56.
Parents of babies who spend long periods in special care baby units are faced with the problem of developing a caring relationship with their baby. The journeys to and from the hospital pose additional financial and social stress on parents who are already under considerable emotional strain. A survey into the financial costs incurred by parents visiting their babies in six hospitals during a period of 2 months was conducted using questionnaires. Complete data were available for analysis from four hospitals on 126 babies (98 inborn and 28 outborn). For babies inborn in a maternity hospital, the mean cost of visiting for parents with a car was 41 pounds (range 1-336) and for those who travelled by public transport the mean cost was 30 pounds (range 2-151). For babies born outside the hospital and transferred to a special care baby unit, the mean cost of visiting for parents with a car was 123 pounds (range 11-518), and for those who travelled by public transport the mean cost was 46 pounds (range 16-80). There was almost no financial assistance available to help these families, one-third of whom had at least one serious social problem.
孩子长时间住在新生儿重症监护病房的父母面临着与自己孩子建立亲密关系的问题。往返医院的行程给本就承受着巨大情感压力的父母带来了额外的经济和社会压力。通过问卷调查的方式，对6家医院的父母在2个月内看望孩子所产生的经济成本进行了一项调查。4家医院提供了126名婴儿（98名顺产婴儿和28名转院婴儿）的完整分析数据。对于在妇产医院顺产的婴儿，开车去看望孩子的父母平均花费41英镑（范围为1 - 336英镑），乘坐公共交通工具去看望孩子的父母平均花费30英镑（范围为2 - 151英镑）。对于在院外出生并转入新生儿重症监护病房的婴儿，开车去看望孩子的父母平均花费123英镑（范围为11 - 518英镑），乘坐公共交通工具去看望孩子的父母平均花费46英镑（范围为16 - 80英镑）。几乎没有任何经济援助来帮助这些家庭，其中三分之一的家庭至少有一个严重的社会问题。
