Encouraging parental reading for high-risk NICU infants.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE\nTo assess whether a citywide structured book-sharing program (NICU Bookworms) designed to promote reading to infants while admitted in the NICU would increase parental reading behaviors (≥3-4 days/week) in the NICU and after discharge home, including high-risk parents who do not themselves enjoy reading.\n\n\nSTUDY DESIGN\nThe NICU Bookworms program comprised staff training, parent education, and building a literacy-rich environment. In this quasi-experimental intervention study, parents of medically high-risk NICU graduates <6 months of age were administered a questionnaire at their first NICU follow-up clinic visit. The survey incorporated questions from the StimQ-I READ subscale to assess home reading environment and shared reading practices.\n\n\nRESULTS\nA total of 317 infants were enrolled, 187 in an unexposed comparison group and 130 in the intervention group. Parents exposed to Bookworms were significantly more likely to read at least 3-4 days/week while in the NICU (34.5% vs 51.5%, P = .002; aOR=2.2 [95%CI: 1.2-4.0]), but reading at home did not differ (67.9% vs 73.1%,p=0.28; aOR=0.99 [0.5-1.8]). However, among parents who did not themselves enjoy reading, frequency was significantly higher both in the NICU (18.4% vs 46.1%, p=0.009, aOR=5.0 [1.2-21.5]) and at home (36.9% vs 70%,p=0.003, aOR=3.7 [1.1-12.9]). A qualitative thematic analysis found that Bookworms reduced parental stress, enhanced bonding, and supported positive parent-infant interactions.\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nA book-sharing intervention in the NICU increased parent-reported reading aloud during hospitalization and among parents disinclined to read for pleasure, both in the NICU and following discharge. This change may have been mediated by enhancement of parent-infant interactions.