Neurodevelopmental supportive care and the role of occupational therapy in Greek Neonatal Intensive Care Units-NEOGNO: a health awareness program

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) environment exposes infants to a constant barrage of negative stimuli that impact the long-term development of the neonatal brain. Neurodevelopmental Supportive Care (NDSC) are specific applications to protect neonatal brain development and foster family support care. Neonatal occupational therapists (NT OT) are vital members of the NICU team and integral to the implementation of NDSC. Premature births in Greece have increased from 9.62% in 2008 to 11.18% in 2010, to an estimated rate of 20% in 2019, creating dramatic need for preventive interventions. Appropriate neuroprotective care for these infants is of critical importance. However, there is a void of data on NDSC applications and NT OT staffing in Greek NICUs. To facilitate implementation of these practices in Greece, it is important to first raise awareness of NDSC and OT NT to the NICU personnel, medical and other healthcare disciplines, government agencies, and the general public. The author’s “NEOGNO” online program is an innovative health awareness program in Greece aimed at promoting NDSC and NT OT in all NICUs, endorsing future NDSC and NT OT research, and establishing strong advocacy for newborn neuroprotection. The program is guided by the Health Belief Model (HBM) which targets the awareness, attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs of the health care professional community that impact the application of NDSC and neonatal OT in NICUs. NEOGNO’s platform offers a plethora of evidence-based information at different levels of complexity to address the diversity of participants’ interests. The platform also includes a participant program evaluation questionnaire, and an exploratory survey for data collection for an upcoming first exploratory research on NDSC in Greece by the same author. A program evaluation research checklist will assist in the assessment of NEOGNO by stakeholders before, during and after the launching of the program. Dissemination efforts will continue using electronic media and expanding beyond the borders of Greece. Funding of NEOGNO will initially derive from the author’s private practice until other public and private sources are located. NEOGNO is the first of its kind health awareness program in Greece, and a launching point for future change in current practices in Greek NICUs, OT, public and private funding of neonatal neuroprotection, and for the inauguration of NDSC and NT OT research. Most importantly, NEOGNO will become a strong voice for the fragile infants and their families