Parental distress: caring for medically fragile children at home

Home care (rather than hospital care) for a diverse group of medically fragile children has expanded in the last decade without an adequate understanding of its impact on families. In this report, the psychological distress of parents was measured using family data and a standardized psychological distress instrument. Of 57 families studied, 59% of the mothers and 67% of the fathers reported significant levels of distress symptoms. Regressions analysis suggest that factors associated with increased family responsibility contribute to parents' distress. The type and amount of professional support also affect parental distress.