Assessment of Pain, Quality of Life, and Impaction in Caregivers of Children with Obstetric Brachial Plexus Paralysis

Abstract

Objective: Obstetric brachial plexus paralysis (OBPP) is a pathology that affects the individual and caregivers in many ways from the first years of life. The caregiver must also be evaluated for the correct rehabilitation program. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the pain, quality of life and impact levels of caregivers of OBPP children. Materials and Methods: A total of 102 individuals, consisting of 51 individuals with an average age of 33.5 +/- 4.6 who cared for children with OBPP and 51 individuals with an average age of 32.15 +/- 4.67 who cared for typically developing children, participated in the study. Participants' physical and sociodemographic information was questioned, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Brief Version Turkishwas used to assess their quality of life. The Cornell Musculoskeletal Disorder Questionnaire was used to assess musculoskeletal pain, and the Impact on Family Scale (IFS) was used to determine the impact on family. Results: Caregivers of children with OBPP had significantly higher lower back, right upper arm, and hip disorders (P = .019, P = .021, P = .033) and financial condition, personal stress, coping, and total impact score (P = .000, P = .002, P = .000, P = .009), which are among the IFS sub-parameters. No significant difference was found in the quality of life between the groups (P = .423, P = .298, P = .625, P = .167, P = .991). Conclusion: The present study revealed that caring for a child with OBPP affected the caregiver physically and mentally. Furthermore, we think that caregivers should also be considered and evaluated in detail in the strategies related to the rehabilitation process.