A support programme for caregivers of children with disabilities in Ghana: Understanding the impact on the wellbeing of caregivers.
Maria Zuurmond, Gifty Nyante, Marjolein Baltussen and 5 others
PMID 30259548WHAT IT FOUND
Caregivers of children with cerebral palsy in Ghana said group training, monthly home visits and facilitator support were linked with greater understanding, changes in positioning, feeding and communication, and less isolation.
Poverty and stigma still limited what they could do.
Key findings
01Caregivers described better understanding of cerebral palsy, new vocabulary that avoided stigmatising terms, and greater acceptance and hope.
02By end line, caregivers reported changes in positioning, feeding practices and communication with their child, and several described more patience and less maltreatment.
03The strongest endline theme was social inclusion from group membership, linked to reduced self-blame and a family-like support network.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Eighteen primary caregivers were purposively selected from four sites, so the themes may not apply to other families or settings. There was no follow-up after the programme ended, so it is not known whether reported changes lasted. Caregivers received group training, monthly home visits and facilitator support together, so the contribution of any single component cannot be separated. The study reports caregivers' experiences and perceptions, not measured child function or caregiver wellbeing outcomes. Poverty and stigma remained major constraints, so some training content could not be put into practice. Two thirds of the children were four years old or below, so views of older children were not captured.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest. The supplied text does not state who funded the study.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that the parent group alone caused lasting improvement. Caregivers received group training, monthly home visits and facilitator support together, and the study had no follow-up after the programme ended. It also reports caregivers' perceptions, not measured child or caregiver outcomes.