Abstract
Background
There is a tiered healthcare system in Australia to support maternal and child health, including, non-psychiatric day stay and residential parenting services (RPS) such as Tresillian and Karitane (in New South Wales [NSW]). RPS are unique to Australia, and currently there is limited information regarding the healthcare trajectory of women accessing RPS and if they are more likely to have admissions to other health facilities within the first-year post-birth. This study aimed to examine differences in hospital co-admissions for women and babies admitted to RPS in NSW in the year following birth compared to non-RPS admitted women.
Methods
A linked population data study of all women giving birth in NSW 2000-2012. Statistical differences were calculated using chi-square and student t-tests.
Results
In total 32 071 women and 33 035 babies were admitted to RPS with 5191 RPS women also having one or more hospital admissions (7607 admissions). There were 99 242 women not admitted to RPS but having hospital admissions (136 771 admissions). Women admitted to RPS who had a co-admission to a hospital were significantly more likely to be older, admitted as a private patient, born in Australia, having their first baby and be socially advantaged (p≤.001) compared to non-RPS admitted women also having a hospital admission. They also experienced more labour and birth interventions (induction, instrumental birth, caesarean section, epidural, episiotomy), and were more likely to have multiple births, a male infant and babies admitted to Special Care Nursery/Neonatal Intensive Care (p≤.001). Additionally, these women were more likely to have another admission for mental health and behavioural disorders (p≤.001), and this appeared to increase over time. There was no between cohort differences regarding the number of women admitted to a psychiatric facility; however, women attending RPS were more likely to have mood affective, or behavioural and personality disorder diagnoses.
Conclusion
Women accessing RPS in the year post-birth were more socially advantaged, had higher birth intervention and more co-admissions and treatment for mental health disorders than those not accessing RPS. More research is needed into the impact of birth intervention and mental health issues on subsequent parenting difficulties.