Title
Functional outcomes and participation in young adulthood for very preterm and very low birth weight infants: The Dutch project on preterm and small for gestational age infants at 19 years of age
Author
Hille, E.T.M.
Weisglas-Kuperus, N.
van Goudoever, J.B.
Jacobusse, G.W.
Ens-Dokkum, M.H.
de Groot, L.
Wit, J.M.
Geven, W.B.
Kok, J.H.
de Kleine, M.J.K.
Kollée, L.A.A.
Mulder, A.L.M.
van Straaten, H.L.M.
de Vries, L.S.
van Weissenbruch, M.M.
Verloove-Vanhorick, S.P.
TNO Kwaliteit van Leven
Publication year
2007
Abstract
OBJECTIVE. Young adults who were born very preterm or with a very low birth weight remain at risk for physical and neurodevelopmental problems and lower academic achievement scores. Data, however, are scarce, hospital based, mostly done in small populations, and need additional confirmation. METHODS. Infants who were born at <32 weeks of gestation and/or with a birth weight of <1500 g in the Netherlands in 1983 (Project on Preterm and Small for Gestational Age Infants) were reexamined at age 19. Outcomes were adjusted for nonrespondents using multiple imputation and categorized into none, mild, moderate, or severe problems. RESULTS. Of 959 surviving young adults, 74% were assessed and/or completed the questionnaires. Moderate or severe problems were present in 4.3% for cognition, 1.8% for hearing, 1.9% for vision, and 8.1% for neuromotor functioning. Using the Health Utility Index and the London Handicap Scale, we found 2.0% and 4.5%, respectively, of the young adults to have ≥3 affected areas in activities and participation. Special education or lesser level was completed by 24%, and 7.6% neither had a paid job nor followed any education. Overall, 31.7% had ≥1 moderate or severe problems in the assessed areas. CONCLUSIONS. A total of 12.6% of young adults who were born very preterm and/or with a very low birth weight had moderate or severe problems in cognitive or neurosensory functioning. Compared with the general Dutch population, twice as many young adults who were born very preterm and/or with a very low birth weight were poorly educated, and 3 times as many were neither employed nor in school at age 19. Copyright © 2007 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Subject
Health
Jeugd en Gezondheid
Cognitive function
Employment
Long-term outcome
Neurosensory function
Quality of life
Very low birth weight infants
Very preterm infants
Young adulthood
cognitive defect
controlled study
gestational age
hearing impairment
infant mortality
major clinical study
neuromuscular disease
prematurity
very low birth weight
visual disorder
Activities of Daily Living
Adult
Cognition Disorders
Disability Evaluation
Education, Special
Educational Status
Employment
Female
Health Status
Hearing Disorders
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature
Infant, Premature, Diseases
Infant, Very Low Birth Weight
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Netherlands
Psychomotor Performance
Questionnaires
Severity of Illness Index
Vision Disorders
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:e49775ab-bc96-40d3-bef6-c492ba9fa0d7
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2006-2407
TNO identifier
240173
ISSN
0031-4005
Source
Pediatrics, 120 (3)
Document type
article