Abstract
Background Caregivers of children with disabilities are easy victims of psychological ill-health. Assessment of psychological problems and identification of factors predicting such outcomes are vital in identifying high-risk caregivers, to prevent them from becoming second order patients. Aim To describe the prevalence and predictors of psychological problems among principal caregivers of children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) in the Galle district Methods The study included 375 caregivers of children with CP, attending Teaching Hospital, Karapitiya, Galle. Prevalence of psychological problems of caregivers was assessed using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Level of caregiver burden was assessed using Caregiver Difficulties Scale, developed and validated by the authors. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data on other study variables. Predictors of psychological problems in caregivers were determined using logistic regression analysis. Results Fifty six percent (95% Confidence Interval = 51.0% 61.0%) of caregivers had GHQ scores above the cut off threshold for psychological disorders. The strongest predictor for presence of psychological problems was high level of caregiver burden {Odds Ratio (OR)=19.99(5.54-72.13),p Conclusions Caregivers of children with CPshow a high prevalence of psychological problems. There are a number of factors predictive of caregiver psychological problems, particularly the level of caregiver burden, which need to be considered when developing long term care plans for children with CP. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jccpsl.v19i1.7621 Journal of the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka Vol.19(1) December 2013 8-17
Highlights
Care giving is a normal and routine part of a parent's life, this assumes a different perspective in parenting a child with a chronic disabling condition
Caregivers of children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) show a high prevalence of psychological problems
There are a number of factors predictive of caregiver psychological problems, the level of caregiver burden, which need to be considered when developing long term care plans for children with CP
Summary
Care giving is a normal and routine part of a parent's life, this assumes a different perspective in parenting a child with a chronic disabling condition. Care giving has its effects on caregiver's resources such as time, finances and relationships, and on their very health. The strain or load born by the caregivers as a result of care giving is conceptualized as caregiver burden[3]. Among the health consequences of care giving, psychological problems of caregivers are considered as the most frequent and serious[7,8,9,10]. Common psychological problems encountered among caregivers of children with disabilities include stress, depression and anxiety4,7,1113. These effects could be even more pronounced among caregivers in developing countries, due to difficult living conditions, limited resources and little access to appropriate services[4]. Assessment of psychological problems and identification of factors predicting such outcomes are vital in identifying high-risk caregivers, to prevent them from becoming second order patients
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