Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of mothers with babies admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit provided with or without an audiotape of their conversations with a neonatologist. Values are numbers (percentages) of mothers unless stated otherwise
| Characteristics | Tape group (n=102) | Control group (n=98) | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 28.1(5.3) | 27.2(5.8) | P=0.27, t=−1.1 |
| Ethnicity: | |||
| White | 86 (84) | 81 (83) | P=0.87, χ22=0.27 |
| Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islanders | 14 (14) | 14 (14) | |
| Asian | 2 (2) | 3 (3) | |
| Marital status: | |||
| Partner | 92 (90) | 86 (88) | P=0.58, χ21=0.3 |
| Single | 10 (10) | 12 (12) | |
| Education: | |||
| School certificate* | 21 (22) | 32 (38) | P=0.03, χ22=6.9 |
| Higher school certificate† | 41 (43) | 23 (27) | |
| Tertiary | 33 (35) | 30 (35) | |
| Parity: | |||
| 1 | 38 (38) | 45 (46) | P=0.29, χ22=2.4 |
| 2-4 | 57 (56) | 44 (45) | |
| ≥5 | 6 (6) | 8 (8) | |
| Mean (SD)state anxiety total score | 51.7 (15.1) | 51.3 (12.4) | P=0.81 |
| Gravida: | |||
| 1 | 29 (29) | 34 (35) | P=0.45, χ22=1.6 |
| 2-4 | 58 (57) | 47 (49) | |
| ≥5 | 14 (14) | 16 (17) | |
| Previous preterm deliveries: | |||
| No | 90 (88) | 75 (78) | P=0.06, χ21=3.6 |
| Yes | 12 (12) | 21 (22) | |
| In vitro fertilisation: | |||
| No | 100 (98) | 95 (97) | P=0.62, χ21=0.24 |
| Yes | 2 (2) | 3 (3) | |
| Caesarean section: | |||
| No | 40 (39) | 46 (47) | P=0.46, χ22=1.5 |
| Elective | 21 (21) | 15 (15) | |
| Emergency | 41 (40) | 37 (38) |
*School years 7-10.
†School years 11 and 12.