We recognize that caregivers in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) juggle many roles - parent, employee, spouse, and more. The Juggling Roles Study is interested in how caregiver’s multiple roles and responsibilities affect NICU involvement, parental mental health, and infant development.

Findings from this study will elucidate barriers to parental involvement in the NICU and identify family and state/federal policy-level intervention targets to support parent NICU engagement and mitigate the downstream developmental consequences of prematurity. Fathers, mothers, grandparents, aunts, or anyone who will regularly care for a child currently in the WIH NICU are encouraged to participate.

What does this study entail?

1. Three interviews to discuss your transition to NICU parenthood (Birth [NICU Baseline], NICU Discharge and when your infant is 12 months old)
2. Daily diary or survey prompts on your phone for 7 days (each survey takes ~ 2 minutes to complete)
3. Questionnaires on work, work environment, mental health and parenting

For more information, click here . You may also contact us via email or by calling 401-480-9656.

What does this study entail? 
The purpose of this research study is to find better ways to treat and diagnose infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) and improve long-term outcome. Certain genetic markers in adults who need narcotics to control pain or withdrawal are associated with more severe withdrawal and need for more medicine to control symptoms. This is research study is designed to find out if this is also true in babies, so doctors will know which infants are at highest risk for complications from NAS. Additionally, excessive crying and a high pitch cry are a sign and symptom of NAS. In this study we will investigate both genetic markers and cry acoustics in babies exposed to narcotics during pregnancy. 

You may be eligible to participate if you:

1. Deliver after at least 37 weeks of pregnancy
2. Received methadone, buprenorphine or another daily pain medication from a licensed physician or drug treatment program during pregnancy
3. Received adequate prenatal care

 For more information, contact us via email or by calling (401) 445-4691