Factors predicting distress among parents/caregivers of children with neurological disease and home enteral nutrition

2013

Background & aims Caregivers of children with chronic diseases included in a home enteral nutrition (HEN) programme are at risk of experiencing a feeling of burden, high level of anxiety and psychological distress. The aims of this study were: first, to examine the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety–depression in caregivers of children with neurological diseases requiring HEN by gastrostomy tube (GT); second, to compare the characteristics of caregivers with high or low risk of exhibiting symptoms of anxiety–depression; and third, to investigate possible associations to child disease severity and nutrition support mode. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was performed in 58 caregi…