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Article
Parental Quality of Life: Caring for an Infant or Toddler with a Tracheostomy at Home
Neonatal Network (2014)
  • Rachel Joseph, Liberty University
  • Linda M Goodfellow
  • Lynn M Simko
Abstract
Purpose: To explore the relationships between stress, coping, duration of tracheostomy, and quality of life (QOL) of parental caregivers who care for a child with a tracheostomy at home.

Design: A cross-sectional correlational design was used to study parents who care for a child with a tracheostomy at home. Family Inventory of Life Events, Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale, and Psychological General Well-Being Index were used to measure stress, coping, and QOL, respectively. Data were collected using both online and paper-pencil format.

Main Outcome Variable: quality of life.

Results: Parents who care for their infants/toddlers with a tracheostomy at home were found to be in moderate distress. Mean age of the participants was 33 years (N = 71), and the average duration of the child’s tracheotomy was 18.22 (SD = 9.59) months. Multivariate analysis showed a significant inverse relationship between QOL and stress. QOL was significantly associated with coping, B = 19.91, β = .43, p<.001.
Keywords
  • Parental Caregivers,
  • Quality of Life,
  • QOL,
  • Stress,
  • Coping
Publication Date
2014
DOI
10.1891/0730-0832.33.2.86
Citation Information
Rachel Joseph, Linda M Goodfellow and Lynn M Simko. "Parental Quality of Life: Caring for an Infant or Toddler with a Tracheostomy at Home" Neonatal Network Vol. 33 Iss. 2 (2014) ISSN: 1539-2880
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/rachel-joseph/16/