Abstract
The long term impact of being born premature has received limited scientific investigation. Studies that have been carried out, focus on outcomes in childhood, with very few considering the impact on adult physical health. Three case studies are presented here, investigating differences in adult minor illness and psychological variables between adult participants born preterm, fullterm but small and fullterm with normal birthweight. This is a retrospective design using questionnaires and checklist to gather relevant information. Minor illness symptoms, daily hassles, anxiety, depression and general self-efficacy were measured. The participant born preterm scored higher on all measures. Data were applied to the Equilibrium Model for Minor Illness. Being born early appears to have a greater impact on later adult outcomes measured than being born fullterm but small or fullterm but of normal weight. In this article the authors reflect upon possible explanations for the different outcomes of each of the participants within the foetal origins of disease theory.Citation
Bellingham-Young D, Adamson-Macedo E. (2004) Prematurity and adult minor illness. Neuroendocrinology Letters, 25(Suppl.1), pp. 117-125.Publisher
Society of Integrated SciencesPubMed ID
15735594Additional Links
https://www.nel.edu/prematurity-and-adult-minor-illness-2016/Type
Journal articleLanguage
enDescription
Metadata only.ISSN
0172-780XCollections
Related articles
- Foetal origins theory: links with adult depression and general self-efficacy.
- Authors: Bellingham-Young DA, Adamson-Macedo EN
- Issue date: 2003 Dec
- Early prediction and psycho-immunologic mediation of minor illness in adulthood.
- Authors: Bellingham-Young D, Adamson-Macedo E
- Issue date: 2002 Jun
- Psychological functioning and health-related quality of life in adulthood after preterm birth.
- Authors: Dalziel SR, Lim VK, Lambert A, McCarthy D, Parag V, Rodgers A, Harding JE
- Issue date: 2007 Aug
- Hospitalizations in adolescence and early adulthood among Swedish men and women born preterm or small for gestational age.
- Authors: Selling KE, Carstensen J, Finnström O, Josefsson A, Sydsjö G
- Issue date: 2008 Jan
- Cardiovascular malformations among preterm infants.
- Authors: Tanner K, Sabrine N, Wren C
- Issue date: 2005 Dec