641 - Social Environment and Early Childhood Developmental Outcomes of Preterm Infants-A prospective cohort study

Friday, April 28, 2023

5:15 PM – 7:15 PM ET

Poster Number: 641
Publication Number: 641.141

Lama Charafeddine, American UIniersity of Beirut, Beirut, Beyrouth, Lebanon; Rima Kaddoura, American University of Beirut, Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Hani Tamim, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Beyrouth, Lebanon; Ziyad Mahfoud, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Ad Dawhah, Qatar; Martine Elbejjani, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Beyrouth, Lebanon; Saadieh Masri, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Beyrouth, Lebanon; Fatima Nasser, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Beyrouth, Lebanon; Pascale Salameh, Lebanese University, Beirut, Mont-Liban, Lebanon

Presenting Author(s)

Lama Charafeddine, MD (she/her/hers)

Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Neonatology
American UIniersity of Beirut
Beirut, Lebanon

Background:

Prematurity is multifactorial and a product of determinants interacting in a multilevel framework. A main consequence of preterm birth is poor developmental outcome which might be more worrisome in a country undergoing compounding political, health, security, and economic crises.

Objective:

To examine the association between social determinants and preterm birth and its relation to developmental outcomes of preterm compared to full-term infants born in a collapsing country.

Design/Methods:

This is a prospective cohort study in a tertiary centre in Lebanon. We collected data on social determinants (maternal age, educational level, residence, household crowding, income, ability to acquire basic needs, assets owned, and perception of wealth inequality), quality of life measures using Cohen perceived stress scale (PSS-10), multidimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS), and WHO Quality of Life instrument-Bref (WHOQoL-BREF), and developmental outcomes using Ages and stages Questionnaires (ASQ)at 4-6 months and 9-12 months after birth. Descriptive analysis was done using SPSS version 25.

Results:

70 mother-baby pairs out of 160 completed the baseline visit and 50 completed the first 4-6months follow-up. At baseline, 3 mothers are unable to acquire clothing, and 2 are unable to acquire education nor healthcare. 64% of mothers exhibited moderate to severe stress levels after birth. Compared to mothers of full-term infants, mothers of preterm infants had lower scores on the WHOQOL physical (35.8 vs 58.6, p< 0.01), psychological (54.6 vs 67.2, p=0.005), and social (58.7 vs 68.6, p=0.215) domains. On follow-up, 60% preterm infants were suspect or referred per ASQ compared to 33% of full-term infants (p=0.05).

Conclusion(s): Significant differences in social determinants are evident between the full term and preterm group. Upon completion of the study, we expect to build a logistic regression model showcasing the relationship between social determinants and developmental outcomes. In a country that has been going through one crisis after the other, this would guide resources and management approaches.