Family Caregivers' Burden and Coping With Caring for Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Qualitative Study in a Low‐Resourced Context, Ghana.
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| Title: | Family Caregivers' Burden and Coping With Caring for Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Qualitative Study in a Low‐Resourced Context, Ghana. |
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| Authors: | Kisinna, Asongo Akwobi, Ohene, Lillian Akorfa, Attafuah, Priscilla A. A. |
| Source: | Child: Care, Health & Development. Jul2025, Vol. 51 Issue 4, p1-11. 11p. |
| Subjects: | Families & psychology, Cerebral palsy treatment, Emotion regulation, Health literacy, Public hospitals, Psychology of children with disabilities, Qualitative research, Interviewing, Health, Cerebral palsy, Psychological adaptation, Judgment sampling, Information resources, Descriptive statistics, Burden of care, Family attitudes, Thematic analysis, Research, Research methodology, Parents of children with disabilities, Psychology of caregivers, Phenomenology, Comparative studies, Physiological stress, Social support, Resource-limited settings, Caregiver attitudes, Social stigma, Well-being, Psychosocial factors, Children |
| Geographic Terms: | Ghana |
| Abstract: | Background: The family caregivers of children with cerebral palsy experience various challenges during the caregiving trajectory. Objectives: This study explores the family caregivers' burden and coping strategies with caring for children with cerebral palsy in Tamale Metropolis, Ghana. Design: The study adopted an exploratory, descriptive phenomenological approach. Participants were recruited using a purposive sampling technique. Semistructured interviews were conducted, and we achieved data saturation with 15 participants. The data were analysed using a thematic approach. Findings The findings identified that physical strain, work‐related challenges and stigma constituted the primary caregiver's burden. The coping strategies employed included emotional coping, displacement/ignoring, seeking knowledge and religious coping. Implications: The nature of the care burden requires deliberate caregiver information and care support throughout the care trajectory. A formal support system will contribute to caregivers' effective and efficient coping with caring for children with cerebral palsy. Summary: In a low‐resource context, the caregiver burden of parents encompasses physical strain, work‐related challenges, and stigma, reflecting multifaceted difficulties faced in caring for children with cerebral palsy (CP).Physical exhaustion, sleep deprivation, and health issues such as waist pain are common, with caregivers often performing demanding tasks like feeding and bathing, primarily affecting mothers.Work‐related challenges include impacts on employment, such as reduced work attendance, decreased productivity, and economic hardships.Stigmatization is a significant social burden, with caregivers experiencing discrimination, social exclusion, and negative community perceptions rooted in myths and misconceptions about CP.Emotional coping mechanisms include maintaining composure, discussing frustrations with spouses, crying as an emotional release, and seeking spiritual solace through prayer and religious activities.Religious faith serves as a central pillar for resilience, with many caregivers believing that God's purpose, testing, or healing power provided comfort and strength.Regular prayer, religious entertainment, and listening to testimonies reinforce hope and acceptance, which facilitate emotional stability amidst ongoing challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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