Document Type : Research articles
Authors
1
Instructor Pediatric Nursing Department, Technical Institute of Nursing; Al-Amreya, Alexandria, Egypt.
2
Assistant Professor Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.
3
Assistant Professor of Pediatric Nursing Pediatric Nursing department, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Egypt.
4
Emeritus Professor Pediatric Nursing department, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Egypt.
Abstract
Background: Congenital Heart Diseases (CHDs) are the most common congenital
malformation in children. Mothers having children with congenital heart diseases
are facing unique challenges and experience significant stressors., which are either
physical, psychological or social. Aim: The study aimed to investigate the stressors
facing mothers having children with CHD. Setting: The study was conducted at the
cardiology clinics of Alexandria University Children’s Hospitals (AUCH) at Smouha
and at El-Shatby. Sample: A convenient sample of 150 mothers who had children
with CHD constituted the sample. Tool: Stressors facing mothers having children
with congenital heart disease structured interview schedule was the tool used to
collect the data, and it consisted of two parts: characteristics of mothers and their
children as well as medical data of children and stressors facing mothers which
included physical, psychological, social, financial stressors and stressors associated
with child treatment. Every mother was interviewed individually. Results: Physical
stressors were the highest stressors facing the mothers (Mean percent 99.5%),
followed by financial stressors (mean percent 86,1%), stressors associated with
treatment (mean percent 83.2%), social stressors (mean percent 78.5%), and
psychological stressors (mean percent 71.0%). Statistically significant differences
were found between mothers’ social stressors and their age, type of the family and
children birth order. Also, there were significance differences between physical
stressors and mothers’ level of education, children’s age and birth order.
Conclusion: The highest stressors facing the mothers were the physical stressors
while psychological stressors were the least stressors reported by the mothers.
Recommendations: Pediatric nurses must have an active role in reducing the
stressors of the mothers of children with CHD through guiding and supporting them
from the time of diagnosis. Establishment of group psychotherapy for mothers having
children with CHD to share other mothers’ feelings, recommendations, and exchange
experiences.
Keywords
)
View on SCiNiTO