Coping strategies of caregivers of persons with a disability attending a special education Center in Abakaliki, Southeast Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

Autor:	Ezeonu CT; Institute of Child Health, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.; Department of Pediatrics, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria., Obu DC; Department of Pediatrics, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria., Daniyan OW; Department of Pediatrics, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria., Asiegbu UV; Institute of Child Health, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.; Department of Pediatrics, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria., Oyim-Elechi O; Department of Pediatrics, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria., Edafioghor LO; Institute of Child Health, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.; Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria., Okoro KJ; Department of Pediatrics, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	The Pan African medical journal [Pan Afr Med J] 2021 Aug 18; Vol. 39, pp. 249. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Aug 18 (Print Publication: 2021).
DOI:	10.11604/pamj.2021.39.249.26884
Abstrakt:	Introduction: coping strategies are specific efforts that individuals use to tolerate or minimize stressful events. Most caregivers´ of children with disabilities must adjust to their social life to cope with the responsibility of caring for a child with disabilities. This study was carried out to assess caregivers´ coping strategies in raising a child with a disability in a resource-poor country. Methods: a researcher-administered questionnaire adapted from the standard COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) inventory was used on consenting respondents recruited from a designated special education school. Coping responses were graded on a five-point Likert scale and data were analyzed using computer software SPSS version 22. Results: the mean age of the respondents was 42.75 years. Males constituted 30% (12/40) whereas females constituted 70% (28/40). The diagnosed disorders amongst their children/wards were speech and hearing impairment (32.5%), cerebral palsy (12.5%), learning disability (10%), autism (10%), Down's syndrome (15%), epilepsy (20%). Most caregivers exhibited active coping (MNR 3-4) especially in areas of planning and seeking professional help. Turning to religion and acceptance of the situation (MNR 4-5) were common emotional coping strategies noted but most of these had no significant relationship with gender or income. Caregivers with lower earnings tend to pay more attention to the child´s disability than concentrating on other activities. Conclusion: the findings support that religious belief provides endurance and resistance to people dealing with stress while low socioeconomic status negatively affects the ability to focus on other activities during stress. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests. (Copyright: Chinonyelum Thecla Ezeonu et al.)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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