Association Between Infantile Atopic Dermatitis and Mother-to-Infant Bonding Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Kamo Sawako S, Tabuchi Takahiro T, Nishi Daisuke D
Mother-to-infant bonding disorder (MIBD) can hugely impact the relationship between mothers and infants, maternal mental health, and child development. Although infantile atopic dermatitis (AD) is known to influence caregivers' quality of life and mental health, its effect on MIBD is not fully understood. This study examined the association between MIBD and infantile AD using data from 4236 postpartum women from a cross-sectional nationwide survey: the Japan COVID-19 and Society Internet Survey (JACSIS). We assessed MIBD using the Japanese version of the Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS-J), the presence of infantile AD based on maternal perception (reported AD: R-AD) and physician's diagnosis (diagnosed-AD: D-AD), and participants' demographics. To assess the association between MIBD and infantile AD, we conducted a modified Poisson regression with robust error variance that provided relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The prevalence of MIBD was about 24.2% (n = 1024). Whether infantile AD was R-AD (RR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.07-1.40) or D-AD (RR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.18-1.69), its presence was significantly associated with a higher RR for MIBD. Furthermore, we found that infantile AD was associated with a higher RR for Anger and Rejection, a subscale of the MIBS-J. This study showed that infantile AD is a potential risk factor for MIBD. Further studies should investigate the link between infantile AD and MIBD and determine effective support for mothers and infants with AD.