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Support by another mother and a child-life specialist decreased anxiety in mothers of children with chronic illnesses

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 QUESTION: In families of children with chronic illnesses, does a support intervention decrease maternal anxiety and depression?

Design

Randomised (allocation unconcealed*), blinded (data collectors),* controlled trial with 1 year of follow up.

Setting

11 specialty clinics and 5 general paediatric clinics in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Patients

161 mothers of children who were 7 to 11 years of age; did not have mental retardation; and were diagnosed with diabetes, sickle cell anaemia, cystic fibrosis, or moderate-to-severe asthma (daily medication, wheezing 2 to 3 times weekly, and ≥ 1 hospital or emergency department visit in the previous 6 months). 86% of families were followed.

Intervention

Families were allocated to a support intervention called Family-to-Family Network (n=86) or to a control group (n=75). Each family in the support intervention group was assigned to a 2 person intervention team: an experienced network mother and a child-life specialist. The network …

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