Stress and uncertainty in parents of children with tracheobronchial malacia and stenosis

Abstract

Background: An increasing number of children are undergoing flexible bronchoscopy because of tracheobronchial malacia and stenosis, but there is little research related to their parents' stress and uncertainty. Aim: To explore and identify risk factors associated with stress and uncertainty among Taiwanese parents of children with tracheobronchial malacia and tracheabronchostenosis in a paediatric intensive care unit. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was implemented using two psychometric scales: Parenting Stress Index and Parents' Perception of Uncertainty Scale. Parents of Taiwanese children (0-18 years/o) with a diagnosis of tracheobronchial malacia or/and tracheabronchostenosis who underwent bronchoscopy in a paediatric intensive care unit were recruited. The analysis used descriptive statistics and multivariable linear regression. Results: Ninety parents who were caring for a total of 51 children were recruited. Stress and uncertainty both scored high and were positively correlated with each other. Four risk factors arising from parental stress were unemployment, parental uncertainty, the child's tracheobronchial malacia and tracheabronchostenosis and use of oxygen. Conclusions: Identifying likely causes of stress and uncertainty is essential for this parental group, particularly for parents facing unemployment, feelings of uncertainty and caring for children with both tracheobronchial malacia and tracheabronchostenosis and requiring oxygen. Relevance to clinical practice: Nursing practice can focus on better parental support for those parents who are unemployed, show feeling of uncertainty and care for children with combined tracheobronchial malacia and tracheabronchostenosis and other medical care, such as breathing symptom management, nasogastric feeding and oxygen therapy.

Current situation and influencing factors of disease uncertainty in parents of children with Sturge‒Weber syndrome: a retrospective study

“…For those who are accustomed to adopting negative coping styles, information support in terms of disease diagnosis and treatment, prognosis, and care should be improved [ 13 ], and effective preoperative guidance and treatment should be provided. Guide [ 33 ] promoted the formation of an effective positive coping style, and those who tend to use positive coping styles should focus on the exercise of their personal abilities, tap their own potential and strength, and reduce disease uncertainty. Huang Zhirong et al [ 34 ] found in a study of parents of premature infants that family empowerment programs can reduce illness uncertainty in parents of premature infants and improve family care readiness and postdischarge coping abilities.…”

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“…To this end, Ho et al . () undertook a cross‐sectional survey with 90 parents of 51 children who were undergoing a bronchoscopy because of tracheobronchial malacia and tracheobronchosis. Using two scales, the Parental Stress index and Parents perception of Uncertainty scale , data were collected by the investigators or via postal services with a 100% response rate.…”