A Qualitative Study of Psychosocial Problems among Parents of Children with Cerebral Palsy Attending Two Tertiary Care Hospitals in Western India

Objective. To explore the psychosocial problems faced by the parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP) in rural and urban settings. Design. Qualitative research design using focus group discussions (FGDs) was used for the study. Setting. Two FGDs comprising one at a rural tertiary level care hospital and the other at an urban tertiary level care hospital were conducted. Participants. A total of thirteen parents participated in the two FGDs. Main Outcome Measured. Psychosocial problems experienced by the parents of children suffering from CP were measured. Results. The problems experienced by the mothers were associated with common themes such as disturbed social relationships, health problems, financial problems, moments of happiness, worries about future of the child, need for more support services, and lack of adequate number of trained physiotherapists. All the parents had children with problems since birth and most had approached various health care providers for a cure for their child. Conclusions. A wide range of psychosocial problems are experienced by the parents of children with CP. Studies like this can provide valuable information for designing a family centered care programme for children with CP.