Maternal stress associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE

To assess parental stress levels of mothers of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) aged between 2-12 years and compare with those reported for other chronic childhood illnesses.

METHODOLOGY

Mothers of children aged between 2-12 years with JIA were recruited from hospital-based outpatient clinics. Maternal stress was measured by using the Parenting Stress Index Long Form (PSI). The physician assessing the child completed an active joint count, a physician's global assessment and recorded the C-reactive protein and/or erythrocyte sedimentation rate if one was clinically indicated.

RESULTS

The mothers recruited had children with a mean age of 6 years. The mean total stress score of mothers of children with JIA measured by the PSI was 235.4 (95% CI 218.5-252.3) was greater than the mean total stress scores for mothers of normal children at 222.8 (95% CI 221.4-224.2). It was also greater than children with other chronic disorders such as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), 218.1 (95% CI 204.7-231.6) and profound deafness, 221.7 (95% CI 206.4-237.0). One third of mothers had total PSI scores that were in the clinical range (Total PSI > 260), indicating a need for intervention.

CONCLUSION

JIA should be regarded as a significant illness in which maternal stress is at least equivalent to that associated with the care of children with other chronic diseases of childhood.