The effects of WeChat follow-up management to improve the parents’ mental status and the quality of life of premature newborns with patent ductus arteriosus

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the effect of WeChat follow-up management on improving the parents’ mental status and the quality of life of premature newborns with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) after discharge. METHODS: Participants were randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group. WeChat was used in the intervention group for the postdischarge follow-up management, while the control group was managed traditionally. The psychological status and quality of life of the parents of the two groups were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: The SAS and SDS scores in the intervention group at three months after discharge were significantly better than those at discharge, but there was no significant change in the control group. During the three-month follow-up, the SAS and SDS scores in the intervention group were significantly better than those in the control group. The WHOQOL-BREF scale scores in the intervention group were significantly better than those in the control group in physiology, psychology, social relations, and the environment. The total quality of life score in the intervention group was also significantly better than that in the control group. All patients in the intervention group were followed up as appropriate, while five patients in the control group were lost to follow-up. The incidence of pneumonia and feeding intolerance in the intervention group were significantly lower than those in the control group. CONCLUSION: The application of WeChat in the follow-up management of premature infants with PDA could alleviate parents’ anxiety and depression in taking care of their children at home and can improve their quality of life.