Introduction: Nephrotic syndrome is a common renal disease in pediatric clinics and its clinic manifestations usually threaten the ill children’s mothers. However, little was known about these mothers’ stress and its predictive related factors from the existing studies. This lack of information for nurses limits appropriated care provided for these nephrotic syndrome children, and their families.Purpose: To examine the significant predictors of perceived stress among mothers who have 0-18 year-old nephrotic syndrome children. Design: A correlational, descriptive study design was used, and Lazarus and Folkman’s Stress model guided this study. Method: Ninety-eight mothers participated in the study, by convenient, purposive sampling from a Medical Center in Taiwan. Two structured questionnaires were used to assess the perceived stress and coping strategies via home interviews. Results: Four dimensions: 1) the sick child, 2) the mother herself, 3) the medical care, and 4) interactions with others, were the majority of stress sources among these mothers. “The sick child” was the major resource of stress manifested the highest level scores of perceived stress among mothers. Mothers who had less support used less frequent problem-orientated and emotion-oriented coping strategies. Those whose children were steroid dependent, having protein urine showing within half year, or having hospitalization experience, perceived higher stress. These factors together explained 45.1% of these mothers’ stress. Uses of problem-orientated and emotion-oriented coping strategies, time period from protein urine showing, and steroid depended children were the significant predictors of mothers’ perceived stress. Implications for nursing: Results from this study provides a better understanding about important factors associated with these mothers’ stress, aid in its early detection and effective reduction. Providing educational programs and organizing a support group may be useful for these nephritic syndrome children’s mothers to coping with their stress pertaining to the illness of their children.
Session #1197 - Chronicity
The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)