Family-Centred Care among Caregivers of Children with Disabilities in Selected Paediatric Rehabilitation Centres in...

Area of Science:

• Paediatric Rehabilitation
• Health Services Research
• Family-Centered Care

Background:

• Family-centred care (FCC) is recognized as a leading approach in paediatric rehabilitation.
• Limited research exists on FCC implementation in Rwanda.
• This study addresses the gap by evaluating FCC use and its determinants in Rwandan paediatric rehabilitation services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the utilization of family-centred care (FCC) in paediatric rehabilitation settings in Rwanda.
• To identify factors influencing the use of FCC in this context.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 107 participants was conducted using census sampling.
• Statistical analyses included Wilcoxon rank-sum and Kruskal-Wallis tests for socio-demographic comparisons of Measure of Processes of Care (MPOC) scores.
• Stepwise regression analysis was employed for variable selection, with model fit assessed by Akaike's Information Criterion using Stata v15.

Main Results:

• The study included caregivers with a median age of 36 and children with a median age of 6 years.
• Common diagnoses were cerebral palsy and physical disability (44.9% each), with a median rehabilitation duration of 10 months.
• Self-employed parents reported significantly higher FCC use compared to part-time employed parents.

Conclusions:

• Child's diagnosis, number of siblings, sex, rehabilitation institution, and parental employment status are key factors affecting FCC use in Rwandan paediatric rehabilitation.
• Developing targeted interventions based on these identified factors is recommended to enhance FCC implementation and effectiveness.