Female Caregivers Of Children Research Articles

Supporting caregivers of children living with disability in a humanitarian context: realist-informed evaluation of the ‘Mighty Children’ programme in Afghanistan

IntroductionTo ensure that humanitarian action is disability-inclusive, evidence is needed to understand how different strategies to support children living with disabilities and their families can work in these settings. Evidence...

Enhancing knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to dental caries in mothers and caregivers of children through a neuroeducational strategy

BackgroundKnowledge, attitudes, and practices related to oral health among parents play a crucial role in shaping oral hygiene and preventing early childhood caries. This study was intended to determine the effect of a neuroeducational strategy in improving knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to early childhood caries among mothers or caregivers of children.MethodsA quasi-experimental study was conducted, implementing an educational strategy involving 33 mothers or female caregivers of children who met specific selection criteria. The strategy consisted of three key elements derived from neuroeducation: (1) experiment, (2) surprise and play, and (3) learn. Based on the participants’ attendance at the sessions, they were categorized into two groups: those who underwent in-person intervention (G1) and those who received a combined in-person and virtual intervention (G2). The impact of the strategy was evaluated by comparing the participants’ knowledge and attitudes, as well as their children’s plaque index, before and after the intervention (immediate and 6-month impact).ResultsThe participants exhibited a favorable and statistically significant effect on the median number of correct answers related to knowledge (G1 immediate effect (IE): p = 0.03, 6-month effect (ME): p = 0.002; G2 IE p = 0.002, ME: p = 0.001), and in the children’s plaque index (G1 IE: p = 0.003, ME: p = 0.003; G2 IE: p = 0.033, ME: p = 0.003). Furthermore, there was an increase in the number of participants with a high level of knowledge (G1 IE: 41.5%; ME: 75%; G2 IE: 45.5%, ME: 42.9%), and of children with a good level of oral hygiene (G1 IE: 50%; ME: 73.0%; G2 IE: 27.3%, ME: 84.6%). Finally, qualitative interviews revealed a lasting clarity in concepts and sustained knowledge and attitudes at the six-month mark. However, a slightly diminished understanding of the relationship between bacteria, sugar, and caries was observed in G2 group, and some loss of association in the G1 group, at six months.ConclusionThe implementation of this strategy resulted in significant and lasting impacts on knowledge, attitudes, and practices, especially in the G1 group. Nevertheless, there is a need for further reinforcement of the association between bacteria, sugar, and caries.

Whose knowledge counts? Involving communities in intervention and trial design using community conversations

BackgroundCurrent debates in Global Health call for expanding methodologies to allow typically silenced voices to contribute to processes of knowledge production and intervention design. Within trial research, this has typically involved small-scale qualitative work, with limited opportunities for citizens to contribute to the structure and nature of the trial. This paper reports on efforts to move past typical formative trial work, through adaptation of community conversations (CCs) methodology, an action-oriented approach that engages large numbers of community members in dialogue. We applied the CC method to explore community perspectives about pneumonia and managing the health of children under-5 in Northern Nigeria to inform our pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating a complex intervention to reduce under-5 mortality in Nigeria.MethodsWe conducted 12 rounds of community conversations with a total of 320 participants, in six administrative wards in Kiyawa Local Government Area, Jigawa state, our intervention site. Participants were male and female caregivers of children under five. Conversations were structured around participatory learning and action activities, using drawings and discussion to reduce barriers to entry. During activities participants were placed in subgroups: younger women (18–30 years of age), older women (31–49 years) and men (18 years above). Discussions were conducted over three 2-h sessions, facilitated by community researchers. Following an initial analysis to extract priority issues and perspectives on intervention structure, smaller focus group discussions were completed with participants in five new sites to ensure all 11 administrative wards in our study site contributed to the design.ResultsWe identified enabling and limiting factors which could shape the future trial implementation, including complex power relationships within households and wider communities shaping women’s health decision-making, and the gendered use of space. We also noted the positive engagement of participants during the CC process, with many participants valuing the opportunity to express themselves in ways they have not been able to in the past.ConclusionsCCs provide a structured approach to deep meaningful engagement of everyday citizens in intervention and trial designs, but require appropriate resources, and commitment to qualitative research in trials.Trial registrationISRCTN39213655. Registered on 11 December 2019.

Parental Stress in Raising a Child with Developmental Disabilities in a Rural Community in South Africa.

Although acceptable levels of parental stress are experienced by all parents who raise children, this stress is substantially higher among parents who raise children with developmental disabilities. Sociodemographic determinants further exacerbate parental stress among parents in rural communities, which are disadvantaged in many ways. This study aimed to quantify parental stress among mothers and female caregivers of children with developmental disorders and investigate factors associated with such stress in rural Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. A cross-sectional quantitative survey was used, in which the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF) and a sociodemographic questionnaire was administered to mothers and caregivers who were raising children aged 1 to 12 years old who were living with developmental disabilities. The PSI-SF scores were used, where a total score of ≤84 percentile was categorised as normal/no parenting stress, 85-89 percentile was categorised as high parental stress, and scores of ≥90 were classified as clinically significant. The sample of 335 participants consisted of 270 (80.6%) mothers and 65 (19.4%) caregivers. Their ages ranged from 19 to 65 years, with a mean of 33.9 (±7.8) years. The children were mostly diagnosed with delayed developmental milestones, communication difficulties, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, autism, ADHD, cognitive impairment, sensory impairments, and learning difficulties. The majority (52.2%) of the participants reported very high-clinically significant stress levels (≥85%ile). The four factors that independently and significantly predicted high parental stress were the advanced age of mothers and caregivers (p = 0.002, OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.34-3.95), caring for a child with multiple diagnoses (p = 0.013, OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.16-3.50), non-school enrolment of the child (p = 0.017, OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.13-3.46), and frequent hospital visits (p = 0.025, OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.09-3.44). At the subscale level, child non-enrolment in a school was found to independently predict parent distress (PD) and parent-child dysfunctional interaction (P-CDI). Frequent hospital visits were statistically and significantly associated with the difficult child (DC) and P-CDI subscales. The study established high parental stress in mothers and caregivers raising children with developmental disabilities. Lack of access to school was an independent factor that consistently increased parental stress. There is a need for support and directed intervention programs aimed at supporting mothers and caregivers of children with developmental disabilities, which will enhance their parenting abilities.

Psychosocial factors associated with malaria care-seeking in rural Ethiopia

BackgroundEthiopia’s National Malaria Control and Elimination Program aims to diagnose all suspected malaria cases within 24 h of fever onset and provide prompt treatment for confirmed cases. This study explored psychosocial factors associated with no-, delayed- and prompt- care-seeking among female caregivers of children under five years with fever in rural Ethiopia.MethodsHousehold surveys were conducted from 2016–2019 among female caregivers (N = 479) of children under five years old with fever in Oromia; Amhara; Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region (SNNPR); and Tigray. Prompt and delayed care-seeking were defined as seeking treatment within ≤ 24 h or > 24 h of symptom onset respectively. Contextual factors explored included sociodemographic factors, household supply of bed nets, exposure to health messages, and household vulnerability (a measure of financial access to food, shelter, schooling, and medical treatment). Ideational factors included psychosocial factors related to care-seeking (knowledge, self-efficacy, response efficacy, attitudes, involvement in decision-making, and household social support).ResultsThe prevalence of fever among children under five years was 18% (ranging from 9% in Tigray to 34% in SNNPR. Overall, 45% of caregivers of children with fever sought care promptly, while 23% delayed care-seeking and 32% sought no care. Prompt care-seeking rates were higher among caregivers with positive attitudes toward prompt care-seeking (48%), involved in decision-making (48%) or perceived equitable gender norms in the community (65%). Caregivers with a high care-seeking ideation had increased odds of prompt care-seeking (aOR: 2.65; 95% CI: 1.74–4.02). Significant contextual factors included residence in the Oromia region (aOR: 2.99; 95% CI:1.40–6.41), caregivers age 35–49 years (aOR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.26–0.95), residence in vulnerable households (aOR: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.28–3.18).ConclusionsAmong this rural Ethiopian population, prompt care-seeking was low but positively influenced by both ideational and contextual psychosocial factors occurring at the caregiver level. Multi-sectoral interventions at the individual, community, and health facility levels are needed to improve prompt care-seeking. These include social behavior change interventions to improve ideation, complemented by health facility interventions to ensure provision of high-quality services and structural interventions to increase educational attainment in these rural settings.

Navigating the healthcare system in Nairobi City County: perspectives and experiences in the utilization of oral healthcare by caregivers of children with HIV/AIDS

BackgroundThe healthcare system in any republic can cause inequalities in health outcomes if they do not take into account the needs of deprived populations. Children with HIV/AIDS are known to have a high vulnerability to oral diseases; yet, they continue to face limitations in the utilization of oral healthcare. While other determinants of healthcare utilization may co-exist, possible gaps in the oral healthcare system can collectively affect a vulnerable group disproportionately in the utilization of oral healthcare.ObjectiveTo explore qualitatively, the perspectives, experiences and attributions of a cohort of caregivers of children with HIV/AIDS and their Health Care Providers (HCPs), on the utilization of oral healthcare within the structure of the oral healthcare system in Nairobi City County (NCC).DesignA cross-sectional explorative mixed methods study design of two hundred and twenty one (221) female caregivers of children with HIV/AIDS and their HCPs using a survey, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and In-depth Interviews (IDIs). The study setting was the HIV-Care Facilities (HIV-CCFs) at three large hospitals in NCC.ResultsCaregivers mainly utilized independent ‘nearby’ private dental clinics for oral healthcare services, attributing their selection to cheaper user-fees, proximal service location, and recommendations from social networks. Wait time, opening and closing hours, health workers’ attitudes and inferred opportunity costs were perceived as important quality issues in the utilization of oral healthcare.ConclusionThe oral healthcare system in NCC does not support the utilization of oral healthcare within the context of providing comprehensive healthcare for children with HIV/AIDS. Absence of ‘in-house’ oral health services at the HIV- CCFs is viewed as a defining structural barrier.

A Comparison of the Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Caregivers of Autistic Children and Caregivers of Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

ABSTRACT Introduction Caregivers of autistic children and caregivers of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) experience considerable stress. However, what is unique or similar across these groups remains understudied. This study explored how female caregivers of children with FASD who registered to participate in a caregiver focused mental health intervention differed from female caregivers of autistic children participating in a similar intervention. Methods Prior to the intervention, caregivers of children with FASD (n = 21), and caregivers of autistic children (n = 22) were asked to complete an online baseline questionnaire. This questionnaire collected information pertaining to caregiver and child demographics, as well as clinical characteristics related to wellbeing, values, and what caregivers identified as rewarding and challenging about raising their child. Results Results identified similarities across caregiver groups in terms of wellbeing, values, and the challenges and rewards they identified with raising their children. Conclusions Given the similarities in these two caregiver groups, and the shortage of research on families of people with FASD relative to families of autistic people, interventions for family caregivers in the autism community may also be applicable for FASD families, for whom fewer resources are available.

Understanding Barriers to the Access to Healthcare and Rehabilitation Services: A Qualitative Study with Mothers or Female Caregivers of Children with a Disability in Indonesia.

Accessibility to healthcare and rehabilitation services for children with a disability (CWD) is essential to improving their health and wellbeing. However, access to the services, especially in many settings in developing countries with scarcity of resources, is still limited. As part of a qualitative study exploring impacts of caring for CWD on mothers or female caregivers and their coping strategies, this paper describes barriers for access to healthcare and rehabilitation services for CWD in Belu district, Indonesia. One-on-one, in-depth interviews were conducted with 22 mothers or female caregivers of CWD. Participants were recruited using a combination of purposive and snowball sampling techniques. These were supplemented with interviews with two staff of disability rehabilitation centers in Belu to understand any additional barriers. Data analysis was guided by a qualitative data analysis framework. Our analysis identified that lack of affordability of healthcare services (high costs and low financial capacity of mothers) was the key barrier for access to healthcare and rehabilitation services CWD. Religious or faith-based factors, such as being a non-Catholic (Belu is predominantly Catholic), converting from Catholic to other religions, and the belief in children’s disability condition as “God’s will”, were also influencing factors for lack of access to the services. Shortage of staff, distrust in the therapy skills of staff at rehabilitation centers, and unavailability of appropriately trained healthcare professionals were structural or system-related barriers. The findings indicate the need for government-owned and run disability rehabilitation centers (not faith-based), the provision of fully subsidised health insurance to provide free services, and the provision of qualified therapists and healthcare professionals (to build trust) in Belu and other similar settings in Indonesia.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on caregiver mental health and the child caregiving environment in a low-resource, rural context.

Early child development has been influenced directly and indirectly by the COVID‐19 pandemic, and these effects are exacerbated in contexts of poverty. This study estimates effects of the pandemic and subsequent population lockdowns on mental health, caregiving practices, and freedom of movement among female caregivers of children 6–27 months (50% female), in rural Bangladesh. A cohort (N = 517) was assessed before and during the pandemic (May–June, 2019 and July–September, 2020). Caregivers who experienced more food insecurity and financial loss during the pandemic reported larger increases in depressive symptoms (0.26 SD, 95% CI 0.08–0.44; 0.21 SD, 0.04–0.40) compared to less affected caregivers. Stimulating caregiving and freedom of movement results were inconsistent. Increases in depressive symptoms during the pandemic may have consequences for child development.

Psychological, sociocultural and economic coping strategies of mothers or female caregivers of children with a disability in Belu district, Indonesia.

Caring for children with a disability can cause a range of psychological and socioeconomic challenges for parents and caregivers, such as anxiety, depression, inability to find affordable and appropriate childcare, loss of income and expenses related to disability specific treatment. As part of a study exploring the impacts of childhood disability on mothers or female caregivers and families, and the copy strategies they used, this paper describes strategies employed by mothers or female caregivers to cope with challenges associated with childhood disability within their family in Belu district, Indonesia. A qualitative approach using one-on-one in-depth interviews was used to collect data from participants (n = 22) who were recruited using a combination of purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and imported to NVivo 12 for analysis. A qualitative framework analysis was used to guide data analysis. The conceptual framework of coping strategies guided the conceptualisation and discussion of the findings. The findings showed that active psychological coping strategies, including cognitive or acceptance strategies, knowledge of both health condition and socio-academic related development of children with a disability, and family relationship and support, were used by the participants to cope with psychological challenges facing them. Self-reliance and religious/spiritual coping strategies were also utilised. Sociocultural strategies, such as social withdrawal or disengagement, professional support and culture-based support, were used by the participants to cope with social impacts, stigma, and discrimination associated with childhood disability. Participants also reported using financial strategies such as selling of family assets to cope with the economic challenges. The findings indicate the need for programs and interventions that address the needs of mothers and female caregivers and their families, to assist with effectively managing the significant challenges they face when caring for a child with a disability. Further studies are needed, with a larger number of participants and the inclusion of fathers or male caregivers, in order to better understand the broader coping experience of childhood disability impacts within families.

The psychosocial and economic impacts on female caregivers and families caring for children with a disability in Belu District, Indonesia.

The current study aimed to understand psychosocial and economic impacts of female caregivers and families caring for children with a disability in Belu district, Indonesia. A qualitative inquiry employing one-on-one in-depth interviews was used to collect data from participants (n = 22). Data analysis was guided by a framework analysis for qualitative research. Social implications framework and the economic consequence of disease and injury framework were used to guide the conceptualisation, analysis and discussion of the findings. Findings indicated that female caregivers of children with a disability experienced significant psychosocial challenges. These included feeling frustrated, sad, angry, worried, inferior and insecure due to rejection of their children by other kids with no disability. Poor physical conditions of and negative labelling given to their children and the fear of what the future held for their children with a disability added yet another layer of psychosocial challenges experienced by these women. Separation or divorce and reduced social interaction and engagement in the community were expressed social impact loaded to these women resulting from poor acceptability of the children by their fathers, increased time spent caring and discriminatory and stigmatising attitudes against their children with a disability. The participants also experienced economic impacts, such as increased health and transport expenses, loss of jobs and productivity, and lack of savings. The findings indicate the need for programs and interventions addressing the needs of mothers or female caregivers and families with disabled children. Further studies with large number of participants covering mothers, fathers and caregivers to understand broader experiences and the need of caring for children with a disability are recommended.

Low vaccination in rural Sindh, Pakistan: A case of refusal, ignorance or access?

IntroductionPakistan is suffering from low routine childhood immunization (RI) coverage, meriting a systematic examination of community acceptance and barriers towards vaccination with a view to inform responsive strategies. We examine community perspectives on RI for children 0–23 months of age, unveiling community beliefs, health systems barriers and willingness to actively seek immunization services. MethodsA qualitative study was conducted in the rural under-resourced district of Tando Muhammad Khan of Pakistan’s Sindh province. 12 focus group discussions were conducted to probe immunization perceptions and experience: 6 with female caregivers of children <2 years and 6 with Lady Health workers (LHWs). An adapted Health Access Livelihood Framework guided data collection, qualitative data were thematically coded using inductive analysis and findings were triangulated across caregivers and LHWs. ResultsCaregivers were either indifferent to vaccination or had an unmet need to know more, with few reporting outright refusals to vaccinate. Caregiver beliefs were characterized by a lack of awareness and a confusion of RI with Polio and a fear of side effects. Religious beliefs were not major considerations. Second, health systems issues of hurried and infrequent vaccination encounters, driven by LHWs’ poor capability to handle the vaccine counter-narrative, interrupted vaccine delivery to villages. These challenges were exacerbated by interruptions due to the Polio campaigns. Third, time and public transport constrained access to the Extended Program on Immunization centers. However, female caregivers usually took decisions on vaccination without recourse to male household members, with child’s health viewed to be the main concern. ConclusionsAn ineffective vaccination narrative, low LHW capability and prioritization of RI, intermittent outreach vaccination encounters, and overshadowing of RI activities by Polio campaigns limit the uptake of childhood RI services. We contend that critical attention is required for post-immunization messaging, client-centric services, positive immunization experiences and the availability of vaccination encounters.

Associations between malaria-related ideational factors and care-seeking behavior for fever among children under five in Mali, Nigeria, and Madagascar.

Malaria remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among children under five years old in many low- and middle-income countries. In this study, we examined how malaria-related ideational factors may influence care-seeking behavior among female caregivers of children under five with fever. Data came from population-based surveys conducted in 2014–2015 by U.S. Agency for International Development-funded surveys in Madagascar, Mali, and Nigeria. The outcome of interest was whether a child under five with fever within two weeks prior to the survey was brought to a formal health facility for care. Results show a wide variation in care-seeking practices for children under five with fever across countries. Seeking care for febrile children under five in the formal health sector is far from a norm in the study countries. Important ideational factors associated with care-seeking behavior included caregivers’ perceived social norms regarding treatment of fever among children under five in Nigeria and Madagascar, and caregiver’s knowledge of the cause of malaria in Mali. Findings indicate that messages aimed to increase malaria-related knowledge should be tailored to the specific country, and that interventions designed to influence social norms about care-seeking are likely to result in increased care-seeking behavior for fever in children under five.

Female Care Givers of Children with Cerebral Palsy: Quality of Life, Knowledge and Practice Regarding Ophthalmic Evaluation – A Study from Coastal Town of Southern India

Female Care Givers of Children with Cerebral Palsy: Quality of Life, Knowledge and Practice Regarding Ophthalmic Evaluation – A Study from Coastal Town of Southern India

Health insurance status of female caregivers and its effect on the utilization of oral healthcare for children with HIV/AIDS in Nairobi, Kenya

Aims: Dental caries is a public health concern in many developing nations like Kenya. Slum children often do not have access to oral health care, and their oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) remains largely un-researched topic in Kenya. The present study was designed to determine the prevalence and severity of dental caries and its impact on the OHRQoL of a cohort of slum-dwelling children in a Nairobi slum. Methods: This was a hospital-based mixed methods cross-sectional study carried out at the out-patient HIV-care clinics at Getrude Children’s hospital (GCH), Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and Mbagathi County and Referral Hospital (MCRH) in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study involved 221 female caregivers of children with HIV/AIDS and their health workers at the HIV-care clinics. Results: More than two-thirds (68%) of the respondents did not have any form of health insurance to facilitate access to medical and/or dental healthcare. More than three quarters (76%) of those who had utilized oral healthcare services for their children paid from out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses. There was gross underutilization of the National Health Insurance Fund, NHIF, with only 18% of the respondents having been enrolled. Conclusion: Underutilization of social health insurance by caregivers, compounded by OOP spending for health services imposes limitations on the utilization of oral healthcare for children with HIV/AIDS.

Differences in anxiety and depression between male and female caregivers of children with a disorder of sex development.

To examine whether male and female caregivers of children with a disorder of sex development (DSD) differ in levels of anxious and depressive symptoms. Participants included 80 caregivers (40 males, 40 females) of 40 children with a DSD. Children were categorized based on illness characteristics including ambiguous genitalia, life-threatening, and life-threatening with ambiguous genitalia. Caregivers completed measures of anxious and depressive symptoms. A significant caregiver × diagnosis interaction for anxious symptoms emerged, with male caregivers of children with both ambiguous genitalia and a life-threatening condition reporting significantly lower levels of anxious symptoms than female caregivers of the same children. The findings are surprising because of the low level of anxious symptoms reported by male caregivers of children with a complex DSD. It is possible that they have disengaged themselves from the child and/or diagnosis, causing their female counterparts to take on more responsibility.

Prevalence of Low Back Pain (LBP) and its affect on Everyday Life among Female Caregivers of Children with Cerebral Palsy (CP)

Aim: To find out the prevalence of low back pain among female caregivers of children with cerebral palsy and how it affects the ability of female caregivers to manage in everyday life. Methods: Cross sectional design was selected to conduct this research. In this study, one question was used to estimate the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) among female caregivers of children with cerebral palsy.

The relationship between social support and anxiety among caregivers of children in HIV-endemic South Africa

Caring for children can be a source of joy and fulfilment, but also a source of stress, especially for caregivers living with illness and/or coping with difficult socio-economic conditions. Risks for poor caregiver mental health are especially salient in many parts of southern Africa affected by a generalised HIV-epidemic, high rates of physical illness, difficult livelihood conditions and an increasing number of orphaned and vulnerable children in need of care. Given limited availability and low uptake of formal mental health services in South Africa, the potential protective role of informal community or “social” resources for caregiver populations requires greater attention. To our knowledge, this is the first study to quantitatively assess the relationship between social support and symptomatic anxiety among caregivers of children living in HIV-endemic southern African communities. The data are from household survey interviews with 2477 adult primary caregivers of children aged 10–17 years living in two (urban and rural) resource-deprived HIV-endemic South African communities. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis with interaction terms was conducted to assess whether HIV and other illness were significant stressors for caregiver anxiety, whether social support had main or stress-buffering protective effects on anxiety and whether gender moderated the association between social support and anxiety. Our findings showed significant main effects of social support on caregiver anxiety, but no evidence of stress-buffering effects of support or of gender moderating the support-anxiety relationship. This suggests that social support is a general mental health resource for both male and female caregivers of children in these HIV-endemic communities, regardless of whether they are facing specific stressors related to HIV or other illness. Our results highlight the importance of paying greater attention to the social environment when designing and implementing caregiver health interventions, and indicate that social support could be a valuable component of such interventions.

Health status of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy

While a 'Family-Centered' approach to care is accepted as best practice in the context of childhood disability, it may lead to increased demands on family members by requiring them to be active participants in their child's care. This may impact upon the physical and mental health of the caregiver and therefore needs to be investigated. This study aimed to assess the health status of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy (CP) in Ireland and to identify vulnerable subgroups. A cross-sectional postal survey was conducted using a questionnaire incorporating the SF-36v2.0. The sample consisted of male and female caregivers of children with CP, representing all levels of ability. Two questionnaires were sent to each child's home; a total of 312 questionnaires were sent to the homes of 156 children. Completed questionnaires were returned by 161 caregivers (100 women, 61 men) of 101 children, giving a response rate of 65%. Caregivers of children with CP were found to have poorer health than the Irish general population, for whom normative data exist. Female caregivers had poorer health than male caregivers in both the physical (P < 0.05) and mental health (P < 0.001) domains of the SF-36. Caregivers spending more time caring had significantly poorer mental health than those spending less time caring (P < 0.05). There was no difference in the health of caregivers of 'more independent' versus 'more dependent' children, apart from the latter group reporting higher levels of bodily pain (P < 0.05). This study provides evidence of the inferior health status of caregivers of children with CP in Ireland, particularly that of women.

My Child has Cancer: The Costs of Mothers' Experiences of Having a Child with Pediatric Cancer

Background: The primary objective of this exploratory research was to examine the lived experiences of female caregivers of children with cancer during diagnosis, treatment and the period thereafter. The specific purpose of this article was to examine the various costs associated with caring for a child with pediatric cancer.Materials and Methods: Interviews were completed with nine mothers of children who had been treated for pediatric cancer.Results: From this process, a number of salient issues were identified; however, this article focuses solely on the costs of caring for a child with cancer. The subthemes derived from these findings include: (1) financial and work issues; (2) health of family; (3) upheaval of family life; and (4) a lost life.Conclusions: These findings exposed the realities of mothers faced with pediatric cancer, and reveal costs incurred by mothers caring for their ailing children, yielding information that can be used as a source of support for those faced with similar situations. Additionally, health care professionals are provided with insight into the costs associated with childhood cancer. This information can be used to help families cope more effectively with cancer and its negative effects.