Psychological Functioning In Caregivers Of Children And Adolescents Living With Spinal Cord Injuries And Disorders In Colombia, South America

All children require support from caregivers, but children with serious physical disabilities represent a particularly dependent population due to their significant healthcare needs. The demands of caring for a child with a chronic physical disability may adversely impact caregivers' mental health and health-related quality of life. However, no investigations have explored depression, anxiety, caregiving burden, or health-related quality of life among caregivers of children with physical disabilities living in Colombia, where access to medical and rehabilitative resources may be scarce. The purpose of this study was to examine differences self-reported depression, anxiety, caregiving burden, and health-related quality of life between caregivers of youth with spinal cord injuries and disorders in Colombia, South America, with caregivers of a matched group of healthy control children. Thirty caregivers of children with spina bifida or spinal cord injury and 30 caregivers of healthy control children completed assessments of depression, anxiety, caregiving burden, and health-related quality of life. Analyses of variance revealed group effects for self-reported health-related quality of life and burden, but not depression or anxiety. These findings highlight the need for improved access to health services and instrumental resources among caregivers of poor children living with physical disabilities in developing countries.