Last modified: 2014-04-03
Abstract
Introduction: Parents are pivotal in rehabilitation of their disabled children. Understanding their concerns and needs is important for planning of rehabilitation programs.
Objective: To elicit the concerns and felt needs of parents of disabled children living in urban slums.
Methods: Camps were organized in urban slums, disabled children were examined, identified families were studied. Home visits were made to 30 families with physically disabled (PD group) and 30 with mentally deficient children (MD group). Parents were interviewed using a pre-structured questionnaire. The effect of disability on the family, and knowledge, attitude, coping patterns and felt needs of parents were studied after obtaining consent. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were used for data analysis.
Results: The two groups were comparable in socio-demographic characteristics. The mean age of children was 8.7 and 7.3 years in PD and MD groups respectively. All parents reported increased stress particularly financial (60%), disruption of family routine (50%) and decrease in social interaction (52%). Marital conflicts were more in MD group. Only 30% of parents knew the cause of their child’s disability, 64% thought it was their fate. Only 22 children went to school; 78% mothers were concerned about their child’s future, 36% wanted free services and 46% wanted rehabilitation centers nearby; 60% reported inadequate family support; 50% mothers in MD group in contrast to 10% in PD group felt that they were blamed for the birth of a disabled child.
Conclusion: Proper counseling of parents is essential. Home-based management is required in resource poor conditions.