OBJECTIVES: To determine the HRQoL and developmental outcome of children on HMV.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study used the TNO-AZL Preschool children's Quality Of Life (TAPQOL; <5 years old) and Health Utilities Index (HUI) 2/3 (≥5 years old) to assess the quality of life and the Schedule of Growing Skills-II to assess development. Instruments were used on children currently or previously on HMV (≥3 months) and compared with age and sex-matched controls.
RESULTS: Sixty-five patients and 130 controls were recruited. Patients' median (interquartile range) age was 3.12 (1.65, 5.81) years. Patients had significantly lower TAPQOL scores in the domains of lung, liveliness, positive mood, social functioning, motor functioning, and communication, and lower HUI 2/3 scores in hearing, sensation, pain, speech, mobility, ambulatory, dexterity, and self-care domains. The developmental outcome of patients was poorer in all domains. However, patients had fewer behavioral problems. Those with respiratory tract disease and without comorbidities had better HRQoL and developmental scores. Having a parent as the primary caregiver was associated with better speech and language skills.
CONCLUSIONS: HRQoL and the developmental outcome are lower in children on HMV compared to controls. Children with respiratory tract disease and without comorbidities have a better outcome. Parents play a crucial role in the acquisition of speech.
OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to explore youth perceptions of the My-Elderly-Care-Skills Module intervention and its perceived feasibility.
METHODS: This study involved youth respondents (18-30 years old) from low-income households who are accountable to providing care for independent older people (60 years or above) living in the same house. A qualitative study using a case study design was used to assess youth perceptions based on the content of the My-Elderly-Care-Skills module, by focusing on its implementation usage and usefulness for the care of the elderly. A total of 30 youths voluntarily participated in the online training workshop during the COVID-19 pandemic movement restriction order period. There were multiple sources of data, such as video recorded on reflection of care given at home, text messages in a WhatsApp group, and in-depth interviews during small group online meetings. Data were recorded and transcribed verbatim for common themes before a theme analysis was conducted. Inductive content analysis was performed after the saturation point was met.
RESULTS: Thematic analysis derived two domains of feasibility: operational and technical feasibility. There were three themes under operational practicality (improving awareness, addressing the caregiving skills needs, and seeking resources for knowledge) and three themes for technical practicality (easily used and informative, skill in effective communication, and program fulfillment).
CONCLUSION: It was verified that it is feasible for young caregivers of the elderly to participate in the My-Elderly-Care-Skills training intervention as it helps in improving knowledge and skills performance in managing and caring for the elderly.
METHODS: A total of 236 breast cancer patients from China completed the Chinese Version of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale (PSS), the Chinese version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Chinese version of the General Anxiety Symptoms Scale (GAD-7). In addition, caregivers of these breast cancer patients were surveyed by the Caregiver Self-Assessment Questionnaire (CSAQ).
RESULTS: Structural equation model showed that our model fitted well [χ2 /df = 1.966, TLI = 0.959, CFI = 0.994, RMSEA (90% CI) = 0.065 (0-0.12)] and revealed that anxiety, but not depression, mediated the relationship between PTSS in breast cancer patients and caregiver burden.
CONCLUSION: The level of PTSS was positively correlated with anxiety and depression in breast cancer patients, and the level of anxiety and depression was positively related to caregiver burden. The PTSS of patients positively predicted caregiver burden and this relationship appears to be mediated by the patient's anxiety.
METHODS: An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) study design was used to recruit a purposive sample of foster carers in Tower Hamlets, United Kingdom, from a range of backgrounds (maximum variation sampling). Participants were aged 21 years and older and provided full-time foster care for children for a minimum of 1 year. The foster carers took part in focus groups that were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis followed a five-step IPA process, which included reading the transcripts, note taking, identifying emerging themes, connecting related themes and writing up the final themes. Iterative data gathering and analysis continued to reach thematic saturation.
RESULTS: Three focus groups were conducted, involving a total of 12 foster carers. Eight of the 12 participants had fostered children for more than 10 years and they were currently fostering 22 children aged five to 18 years old. Four themes emerged from within the context of the supportive and nurturing foster family environment that described how foster carers' responded to and managed the oral health of their foster children. Foster carers had adopted an oral health caregiving role, "in loco parentis" responding to the poor oral health of their vulnerable foster children. They were hypervigilant about establishing and monitoring children's oral health routines and taking their children to see a dentist; these were seen as an integral part of being good foster carers. They were knowledgeable about the causes of children's oral ill health, gained from their own dental experiences and from looking after their own children. Foster carers had experienced tensions while adopting this oral health caregiving role with dentists who had refused to see younger children. Foster carers had also experienced tensions with teenage foster children who questioned their parental authority and legitimate right to set rules about smoking and healthy eating.
CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to explore foster carers' oral health perspectives and the foster family environment within the oral health context. It highlights the unrecognized and important role that foster carers have in improving the oral health of vulnerable children. Further research is needed to explore the relationship between foster carers and dentists and to support the development of health and social care interventions to improve foster children's oral health.
METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, the Malay version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was administered to 227 caregivers of children with ASD. The caregivers were recruited from ASD databases in four tertiary hospitals in Kelantan and a meeting was set up during the child's follow-up in the clinic. Multiple linear regression analyses were applied to determine the predictors of perceived stress.
RESULTS: The mean total perceived stress score was 20.84 (4.72). This was considered higher than average. Higher perceived stress was significantly predicted among caregivers who live far from the health institution, caregivers who do not own transportation to bring the child to the treatment center, and caregivers who have an ASD child with a learning disability.
CONCLUSION: Caregivers of an ASD child perceived significant stress while taking care of their children. Institutions should alleviate the factors that were predicted to increase the caregivers' perceived stress to improve the quality of the lives of children and ASD families as a whole.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the factors associated with caregivers' satisfaction with different levels of health care services in managing children with ASD in Kelantan. The satisfaction scores of 227 main caregivers of confirmed ASD children were assessed with a modified Parent Satisfaction Scale (PSS) questionnaire.
RESULTS: The analysis showed that caregivers who waited longer for a doctor's consultation in primary care had a reduced PSS score, whereas caregivers who were satisfied with the waiting time in primary care had higher PSS scores. At the secondary care level, caregivers who possessed at least a diploma had reduced PSS scores, whereas caregivers who were satisfied with both doctors' consultation times and occupational therapy appointments had higher PSS scores. At the tertiary care level, caregivers with an underlying medical problem and who had children undergoing occupational therapy for two months or more had reduced PSS scores. Nevertheless, the analysis showed that caregivers who were concerned with their children's sleeping problems, who had been informed about parental support, who were satisfied with speech and occupational therapy appointments, who were satisfied with waiting times at tertiary care clinics, and who were satisfied with their doctor's knowledge and experience had higher PSS scores.
CONCLUSIONS: This study elucidated the importance of understanding caregivers' satisfaction in attaining care for their ASD children and highlighted the need to promote factors that would increase caregivers' satisfaction with current ASD services.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Qualitative research can better assess human sufferings such as in the case of DAI trauma. While quantitative research can measure many psychometric parameters to assess some aspects of trauma conditions, qualitative research is able to fully reveal the meaning, ramification and experience of TBI trauma. Both care giving and rehabilitation are overwhelmingly demanding; hence , they may complicate the caregivers' stress. However, some positive outcomes also exist.
RESULTS: Caregivers involved in caring and rehabilitation of TBI victims may become mentally traumatized. Posttraumatic recovery of the TBI survivor can enhance the entire family's closeness and bonding as well as improve the mental status of the caregiver.
CONCLUSIONS: A long-term longitudinal study encompassing integrated research is needed to fully understand the traumatic experiences of caregivers. Unless research on TBI or DAI trauma is given its proper attention, the burden of trauma and injury on societies will continue to exacerbate globally.