Maternal Sick Leave Due to Psychiatric Disorders Following the Birth of a Child With Special Health Care Needs: Table I.

Abstract

Objective Child-related stress following the birth of a child with special health care needs (SHCN) can take a toll on parental health. This study examined how the risk of sick leave due to psychiatric disorders (PD) among mothers of children with SHCN compares with that of mothers of children without SHCN during early motherhood. Methods Responses from 58,532 mothers participating in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study were linked to national registries and monitored for physician-certified sick leave from the month of their child’s first birthday until the month of their child’s fourth birthday. Results As compared with mothers of children without SHCN, mothers of children with mild and moderate/severe care needs were at substantial risk of a long-term sick leave due to PD in general and due to depression more specifically. Conclusions Extensive childhood care needs are strongly associated with impaired mental health in maternal caregivers during early motherhood.

Long-time sickness absence among parents of pre-school children with cerebral palsy, spina bifida and down syndrome: a longitudinal study

“…The results showed that caring for a child with special needs affected maternal sick leave, with the mothers of pre-school children who had spina bifida, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome having higher sickness absence than the mothers of children with no special needs. This result is in line with that of previous research [6, 9]. It supports the notion that caring for a child with special needs impairs maternal health, resulting in an increased level of sick leave.…”

“…We cannot be completely sure that the increased sickness absence is caused by the caring burden, however the results are in line with previous research showing that mothers caring for a child with special needs are at substantial risk of a long-term sick leave due to psychiatric disorders [9]. Moreover, a recent review article also indicates that caring for a child with special needs has adverse effects on mothers’ health [3].…”

“…Although the literature on the sickness absence of parents with a special-needs child is scarce, one study reported that, in general, it was higher than that of parents without a special-needs child and that the sickness absence of mothers of a special needs child was higher than that of the fathers [6]. Mothers of children with mild and moderate/severe care needs were reported to be more likely to have long-term sick leave compared with mothers in general, particularly due to mental health problems [9]. On the other hand, a Swedish study showed that the number of sickness benefit days of parents of children with Down syndrome did not differ from those of other parents [10].…”

Sickness absence among mothers caring for a child with disability: Examining the impact of mechanical and psychosocial occupational exposures

“…For example, using longitudinal register data from Norway, Brekke and Nadim (2017) found that compared to mothers of children without disability, long-term sickness absence among mothers caring for a child with chronic illness or disability were higher in the post-birth period. This is consistent with the findings of Brekke, Früh, et al (2017) and Hauge et al (2015) . Hauge et al (2015) reported that mothers of children with moderate to severe care needs were more likely to be on long-term sick leave than other mothers due to psychosocial problems.…”

When Life Happens: Investigating Short and Long-Term Effects of Life Stressors on Life Satisfaction in a Large Sample of Norwegian Mothers

“…This is in line with studies reporting long-lasting psychological distress and compromised life satisfaction following the birth of a chronically disabled child (Nes et al 2014b). Extensive childhood care needs are strongly associated with impaired mental health in mothers during early motherhood, with excess risk of a long-term sick leave due to psychiatric disorders more generally and depression more specifically (Hauge et al 2015).…”