Psycho Socioeconomic Concerns of Low Economic Background Families With a Cerebral Palsy Child: A Mixed Design

Abstract

Introduction: When disability and poverty coincide, the impact is more. Socio economic studies on cerebral palsy children are rarely being done in India. More ever studies on lower socio-economic families having a cerebral palsy child are rare. Objective of the study: It is to understand the psycho socioeconomic concerns of the families with a cerebral palsy child. Design: Mixed method. Exploratory sequential design. The quantitative data was obtained by a survey questionnaire, which was prepared on themes obtained from the qualitative data by a semi structured interview. 10 Parents of cerebral palsy children with monthly income Rs 10,000 and below from the paediatric unit of Department of Physiotherapy of SVNIRTAR were selected purposively for qualitative data. A questionnaire was prepared and validated on psycho socio economic issues of families of cerebral palsy children. 124 parents of cerebral palsy children with monthly income Rs 10,000 and below were surveyed. Results: 88.70% reside in rural areas and 11.3% in urban. 19% belong to SES 3 (Lower middle) an 81% belong to SES4 (upper lower). For 6.5% families the one-time treatment expenditure far crossed their yearly expenditure. In 18.3% families the monthly expenditure was more than income and 20.6% spent more than 50% of their income on treatment of the child. None had insurance. 4.6% had chronic illness of other family members. 2% had another child also affected. In case of financial requirement when they cannot meet the expenditure 7.6% sold their belonging, 38.2% took loan, 33.6% financial support was availed from family friends and relatives and 2.3% got financial assistance from govt. or NGO and 11.5% did could not help themselves anyway. Only 2 people had barrier free home. 73.3 parents did not know about government schemes available for them, 14.5% knew but were not availing and 6.9% were availing. Social life was affected for 70.14%. 71% were not getting any social support.