Meta-Analysis of Anxiety in Parents of Young People with Chronic Health Conditions.

Abstract

Chronic health conditions are often associated with uncertainty and threats which may cause anxiety in the family members. The present meta-analysis analyzed whether parents of children with chronic physical diseases and/or sensory/physical disabilities show higher anxiety levels than parents of healthy/nondisabled children or test norms. The databases PSYCINFO, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and PSYNDEX were searched for relevant studies. In total, 486 studies were identified that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. We found moderate elevations of anxiety symptoms in parents of young people with chronic conditions (g = .54 standard deviation units). About 16% of the parents fulfilled the criteria for an anxiety disorder. Parents of young people with neuromuscular disorders, HIV-infection/AIDS, and cancer during active treatment showed large elevations of anxiety symptoms. Elevations of anxiety symptoms were smaller in the cases of longer lasting chronic conditions, longer time since the end of active treatment, in families of older children, in samples with lower percentages of mothers, and in studies from economically developed countries compared to less developed countries. Measures for preventing and reducing anxiety symptoms in parents of young people with neuromuscular disorders, HIV-infection/AIDS, and those undergoing cancer treatments are particularly needed.