Information needs of parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Emma Sciberras1, Shobha Iyer, Daryl Efron

  • 1Royal Children's Hospital, Victoria, Australia. emma.sciberras@mcri.edu.au

Clinical Pediatrics
|January 19, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) need continuous information. They prefer verbal guidance from professionals, despite accessing various sources like pediatricians and books.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Parental Support

Background:

  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) significantly impacts children and their families.
  • Effective parental support requires understanding their specific information needs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and analyze the information needs of parents raising children with ADHD.
  • To evaluate preferred information sources and delivery methods for this demographic.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 99 parents of children with ADHD in Victoria, Australia.
  • Questionnaires assessed information sources used, perceived quality, important content, and preferred modes of delivery.

Main Results:

  • Pediatricians were the most frequently accessed (89%) and highly rated information source.
  • Parents prioritized information on causes and symptoms during diagnosis and preferred verbal delivery from professionals (69%).

Conclusions:

  • Information provision for parents of children with ADHD is an ongoing necessity.
  • While diverse sources are utilized, verbal communication from healthcare professionals is the preferred method for parents.
Abstract

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