Parents care needs with epileptic children: a hybrid model concept analysis

The care needs of epileptic children are a multidimensional concept that varies based on the experience and understanding of family caregivers. This study aimed to analyze the concept of parental care needs for children with epilepsy.

This study was conducted using the hybrid method in three phases. In the theoretical phase, a systematic literature review was performed. In the fieldwork phase with a qualitative approach, 13 parents caring for epileptic children were investigated with individual and semi-structured interviews at the Besat Teaching-Treatment Center (Hamadan, Iran) in 2024. In the final phase, the concept of parental care needs was defined based on the findings of the theoretical and fieldwork phases.

The common antecedents identified in both the theoretical and fieldwork phases included low education levels and poor economic status. Additionally, the fieldwork phase highlighted the role of ineffective support systems. The common consequences were care quality improvement, financial burden reduction, care knowledge acquisition, and psychosocial status improvement, and the consequence of increasing stability in the family structure appeared in the fieldwork phase. The care needs of epileptic children's parents included comprehensive support, therapeutic needs, and psychological needs, while financial constraints and inadequate care knowledge were identified as major challenges. These needs are influenced by factors such as low socioeconomic status and limited education, and their fulfillment leads to an improved quality of life and more effective disease management.

Concentration on parental care needs and provision of appropriate support through education, financial resources, and social support can help reduce psychosocial pressures on families.