Perception of neonatal outcomes: lessons learned from positive health.

Abstract

Traditional measures of neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm children are deficit focused and not informed by parent and family perspectives. Parents care less about medical classification of severity of disability and more about the child's ability to function and participate. Positive health encompasses a broad and dynamic perspective on health that goes beyond the absence of disease and focuses on physical, mental, and social well-being, life-satisfaction, and goal attainment. Measuring positive health as an outcome in children at high risk of disability is challenging but possible. Further exploration of positive health as an outcome may meet the needs of both families and researchers.