Relationship Between Parents' Mental Health and Infant Admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Oman

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to assess levels of depression, anxiety and stress among parents of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)-admitted infants at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) in Muscat, Oman, and to examine their association with parental sociodemographic characteristics and infants' clinical factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at SQUH between December 2024 and March 2025 and included parents of NICU-admitted infants. Mental health status was assessed using the validated Arabic version of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-42), while sociodemographic and clinical data were collected using structured questionnaires. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed, with significance set at P ≤0.05. Results: A total of 86 participating parents were included; 44.2% were fathers, 54.7% mothers and 1.2% other caregivers with a mean age of 33.85 ± 5.81 years. Anxiety was most prevalent (23.3%), followed by depression (18.6%) and stress (10.5%). Depression was significantly higher among parents aged 20–29 years (P = 0.048). Prematurity was significantly associated with both depression and stress, while stress was also higher among parents with a history of stillbirth or those whose infants required resuscitation (P <0.05 each). Parents of male infants were significantly more likely to report depression and anxiety (P <0.05 each). While anxiety was more prevalent among parents of multiples compared to those of singletons (P = 0.034). Conclusions: Younger parental age, prematurity, male infant sex, multiple newborn, resuscitation and history of stillbirth were associated with psychological distress, highlighting the need for routine psychological screening and support in NICU.