WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Sumitha Varghese1*, Prof. Dr. Sunil M., Krishnapriya K. K., Megha Anil, Mekha Mol Shaji and Megha P. G.

ABSTRACT

Background: Leukemia is a cancer of the body’s blood - forming tissues, including the bone marrow and the lymphatic system. Caring for a child with leukemia(cancer) necessitates heavy parental involvement, with caregivers having to take their child for frequent appointments, administer medications, and provide emotional support through painful procedures. Alongside trauma and worry elicited by their child's diagnosis, it is unsurprising that a significant proportion of parents of paediatrics cancer patients experience heightened psychological distress during their child's cancer diagnosis and treatment. Objective: To assess the parental distress and it’s contributing factors among mothers of children with leukaemia. Materials and Methods: In a quantitative descriptive correlational study, mothers of children with leukaemia were recruited via convenience sampling during their child’s inpatient admission or outpatient appointment. They were asked to complete a selfadministered demographic survey, distress thermometer for parents (DT-P), and questionnaire to assess contributing factors. Results: Among 100 mothers 32% had mild stress,60% had moderate stress and 8% had severe stress. The cognitive domain of caregiving problems on the DT-P was found to correlate with distress. Parents most frequently reported cognitive problems (77%) and, least often, social problems (17.4%). Conclusion: Notable levels of distress and proportions of distressed parents highlighted the heavy burden of caregiving. This may also be attributed to the differences in caregiving challenges. The psychological effects of parental caregiving highlight the need for supportive measures for pediatric cancer caregivers.

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