Magnitude of problem of persons having intellectual disability its impact on parents and their unmet needs in Indian subcontinent
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51332/bjp.2015.v20.i1.42Keywords:
Intellectual disability, parents burden, NIMH DIS scale, rehabilitation needsAbstract
Background: Intellectual disability is the clearest example of the mixture of medical and social system models. People with intellectual disability do not represent homogenous groups. Their unmet needs and impact on parents as caregivers also vary especially with changing social milieu, socio economic status and ethnicity. Objectives: To assess the disability of intellectually disabled and the nature and degree of impact on their parents. Methods : The clinico-demographic profile of 102 intellectually disabled and intellectually average children and their caregivers were compared. The impact of disability was measured in NIMH-DIS scale. Results: Mothers experienced more difficulties than fathers in physical care (p<0.03), health (p<0.02), career (p<0.03), sibling effect (p<0.04) and specific thoughts domain (p<0.04). Fathers experienced more trouble in support (p<0.02), financial (p<0.05), social (p<0.01), embarrassment/ridicule domains (p<0.02). There was no difference in Relationship domain (p=0.56) between the parents. Higher patience (p<0.02) and empathy (p<0.04) were found among mothers and higher tolerance (p<0.03) and sensitivity (p<0.04) were found among mothers. The impact on mothers increased in physical care, health and specific thoughts domains whereas the impact on fathers increased in financial and embarrassment/ridicule domains. Conclusions: Rehabilitation needs increase with severity of disability and impact on parents as caregivers. Appropriate assessment and finding out unmet needs can guide to formulate individualized treatment plan for them as well
as for their parents.