1Junior Resident, Department of Psychiatry, King George's Medical University, UP, Lucknow
2Professor, Department of Psychiatry, King George's Medical University, UP, Lucknow
3Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, King George's Medical University, UP, Lucknow
4Lecturer, Department of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, King George's Medical University, UP, Lucknow
5Lecturer, Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, King George's Medical University, UP, Lucknow
*Corresponding author: Tarun Pal Junior Resident, King George's Medical University, UP, Lucknow, Email. ID: drpaltarun@gmail.com Mobile no: 09997962436
Online published on 11 April, 2017.
Family is the main source of support for those disable children. Family specially parents perceive burden in caring of mentally retarded children.
The aim of the study was to study of burden of care on key relatives of children and adolescents with mental retardation.
The study sample included patients of mental retardation in age group 5 to 16 years & key relatives attending child and adolescent psychiatry OPD. The patients were assessed on K-SADS-PL1 for psychiatric co morbidity. Burden of care on the key relative was assessed on THARA burden assessment schedule (1998)2. For analysis appropriate statistical tools were used.
Key relatives of mental retardation patients experience an overall moderate degree of burden (Total burden score = 67.3). As the severity of mental retardation increases, burden of care on key relative increases. Amongst all the domains of Burden of Care Scale, Physical & mental health domain has highest burden of care on the key relative. Burden of care on key relatives of mental retardation patients with co morbidities was found to be extremely significant (p<0.0001).
In this study it was found that family especially mother of mentally retarded children experience burden of care and it increases as the level of disability increases. Burden of care is maximum with severe to profound mental retardation. Associated comorbidities increase the burden of care.
Key Relatives, Burden Assessment Schedule, K-SADS-PL
