Assessment of Maternal Quality of Life in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Nida Mushtaq; Madiha Hussain; Zahra Batool; Farzana Iqbal

doi:10.54112/bcsrj.v7i5.2324

Authors

Nida Mushtaq College of Nursing Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan
Madiha Hussain College of Nursing Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan
Zahra Batool College of Nursing Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan
Farzana Iqbal College of Nursing Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54112/bcsrj.v7i5.2324

Keywords:

Caregivers; Cerebral Palsy; Mothers; Quality of Life; Rehabilitation

Abstract

Cerebral palsy is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder that places substantial caregiving demands on mothers. Long-term caregiving may affect maternal physical, emotional, and social well-being. Objective: To assess health-related quality of life among mothers caring for children with cerebral palsy. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Pakistan Society for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, Lahore, from October 2025 to March 2026. A total of 149 mothers of children diagnosed with cerebral palsy were enrolled using non-probability convenience sampling. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, birth-related complications, clinical characteristics of children, and maternal quality of life. Maternal quality of life was assessed using the Short Form-36 Health Survey, while gross motor function of children was classified using the Gross Motor Function Classification System. Data were analyzed using SPSS and presented as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Results: The mean age of children with cerebral palsy was 7.35 ± 2.30 years, while the mean age of mothers was 36.44 ± 6.78 years. Most children were male 112 (75.2%), and most mothers were housewives 114 (76.5%). Birth injury was reported in 100 (67.1%) children, while birth asphyxia was reported in 49 (32.9%). Severe motor impairment was common, with 98 (65.8%) children classified as GMFCS level V and 40 (26.8%) as level IV. SF-36 assessment showed reduced maternal quality of life, particularly in role limitations due to physical health, role limitations due to emotional problems, social functioning, bodily pain, fatigue, emotional well-being, and general health perception. Conclusion: Mothers caring for children with cerebral palsy had impaired quality of life across physical, emotional, and social domains. Family-centered rehabilitation should include maternal counseling, caregiver education, psychosocial support, and respite-care services to improve maternal well-being.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

0

References

1. McIntyre S, Goldsmith S, Webb A, Ehlinger V, Hollung SJ, McConnell K, et al. Global prevalence of cerebral palsy: a systematic analysis. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2022;64(12):1494-1506.

2. Olusanya BO, Gladstone M, Wright SM, Hadders-Algra M, Boo NY, Nair MKC, et al. Cerebral palsy and developmental intellectual disability in children younger than 5 years: findings from the GBD-WHO Rehabilitation Database 2019. Front Public Health. 2022;10:894546.

3. Mushta SM, King C, Goldsmith S, Smithers-Sheedy H, Badahdah AM, Rashid H, et al. Epidemiology of cerebral palsy among children and adolescents in Arabic-speaking countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain Sci. 2022;12(7):859.

4. Khan SA, Talat S, Malik MI. Risk factors, types, and neuroimaging findings in children with cerebral palsy. Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(7):1738-1742.

5. Zhang S, Li B, Zhang X, Zhu C, Wang X. Birth asphyxia is associated with increased risk of cerebral palsy: a meta-analysis. Front Neurol. 2020;11:704.

6. Chen D, Huang M, Yin Y, Gui D, Gu Y, Zhuang T, et al. Risk factors of cerebral palsy in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Transl Pediatr. 2022;11(4):556-564.

7. Patel DR, Neelakantan M, Pandher K, Merrick J. Cerebral palsy in children: a clinical overview. Transl Pediatr. 2020;9(Suppl 1):S125-S135.

8. Novak I, Morgan C, Fahey M, Finch-Edmondson M, Galea C, Hines A, et al. State of the evidence traffic lights 2019: systematic review of interventions for preventing and treating children with cerebral palsy. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2020;20(2):3.

9. Elangkovan IT, Shorey S. Experiences and needs of parents caring for children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2020;41(9):730-739.

10. Smith M, Blamires J. Mothers’ experience of having a child with cerebral palsy: a systematic review. J Pediatr Nurs. 2022;64:64-73.

11. Kassa T, Tadese H, Eriku GA, Abich Y, Fentanew M. Health-related quality of life and associated factors among primary caregivers of children with cerebral palsy, in Bahir Dar and Gondar cities, Ethiopia, 2022. PLoS One. 2024;19(4):e0301050.

12. Ying K, Rostenberghe HV, Kuan G, Mohd Yusoff MHA, Ali SH, Yaacob NS. Health-related quality of life and family functioning of primary caregivers of children with cerebral palsy in Malaysia. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(5):2351.

13. Vadivelan K, Sekar P, Sruthi SS, Gopichandran V. Burden of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy: an intersectional analysis of gender, poverty, stigma, and public policy. BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):645.

14. Liu F, Shen Q, Huang M, Zhou H. Factors associated with caregiver burden among family caregivers of children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review. BMJ Open. 2023;13(4):e065215.

15. Mohammed SS, Abdelwahab MS, Zaky NA, Abdelazeim FH. Impact of mother’s care burden, fatigue and child’s functional level on quality of life in spastic cerebral palsy. Physiother Res Int. 2024;29(1):e2067.

16. Barutcu A, Barutcu S, Kolkiran S, Ozdener F. Evaluation of anxiety, depression and burden on caregivers of children with cerebral palsy. Dev Neurorehabil. 2021;24(8):555-560.

17. Zhong X, Wijesinghe CJ. The level and factors associated with caregiver experience among parents of children with cerebral palsy: a cross-sectional study in Southwest China. Front Public Health. 2025;13:1482011.

18. Kondekar A, Ansari Q, Ghatol H. The quality of life of primary caretakers of children with cerebral palsy. J Family Med Prim Care. 2024;13(10):4457-4461.

19. Xia C, Sun M, Li X, Lu C, Gao X, Lu J, et al. Health-related quality of life and related factors among primary caregivers of children with disabilities in Shanghai, China: a cross-sectional study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(24):9299.

20. Pandit B, Singh JK, Karn AK, Pandit R. Quality of life among primary caregivers of children with cerebral palsy living in Sarlahi and Rautahat districts of Nepal. J Nepal Health Res Counc. 2021;18(4):619-625.

21. Sonune SP, Gaur AK, Shenoy A. Prevalence of depression and quality of life in primary caregiver of children with cerebral palsy. J Family Med Prim Care. 2021;10(11):4205-4211.

22. Lang CP, Boucaut A, Guppy M, Johnston LM. Children with cerebral palsy: a cross-sectional study of their sleep and their caregiver’s sleep quality, psychological health and wellbeing. Child Care Health Dev. 2021;47(6):859-868.

23. Guimarães A, Pereira A, Oliveira A, Lopes S, Nunes AR, Zanatta C, et al. Parenting in cerebral palsy: understanding the perceived challenges and needs faced by parents of elementary school children. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(5):3811.

24. Gugała B. Caregiver burden versus intensity of anxiety and depression symptoms in parents of children with cerebral palsy as well as factors potentially differentiating the level of burden: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open. 2021;11(6):e036494.