Caregiving of children with Down syndrome: impact on quality of life, stress, mental and oral health. (10th January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dias, Caroline; Schwertner, Carolina; Grando, Débora; Bidinotto, Augusto Bacelo; Hilgert, Juliana Balbinot; Schuch, Jaqueline Bohrer; de Azeredo, Lucas Araújo; Bauer, Moisés Evandro; Hashizume, Lina Naomi
• Is Part Of: Special care in dentistry. Volume 42:Number 4(2022)
• Page Start: 398
• Page End: 403
• Publication Date: 2022-01-10
• Subjects: caregiver -- Down syndrome -- oral health -- quality of life -- stress; People with disabilities -- Dental care -- Periodicals; Older people -- Dental care -- Periodicals; Hospital dental service -- Periodicals; Dental Care for Disabled -- Periodicals; Dental Service, Hospital -- Periodicals; Geriatric Dentistry -- Periodicals; 617.60087
• DOI: 10.1111/scd.12694
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0275-1879

Abstract

Abstract: Aim: Parental caregivers of children with Down Syndrome (DS) have a greater burden of daily activities that may affect their health. The aim of this exploratory study was to evaluate the impact of caregiving of children with Down syndrome on parenting quality of life, stress, mental and oral health. Methods: Fifty‐four parental caregivers of children with DS and 51 parents of children without physical or mental disabilities participated of this study. All participants were clinically examined to evaluate the presence of dental caries, gingival conditions and answered a sociodemographic questionnaire. Depression, anxiety, quality of life and coping strategies were assessed using specific instruments. Hair cortisol level was assessed as biological marker of chronic stress. Results: Psychological and quality of life parameters were similar between the groups of caregivers ( p > .05). Caregivers of children with DS were older (48.6 vs. 41.5, p < .001), had longer caregiving period (> 10 vs < 10 years, p = .003), presented higher gingival bleeding index (6.1 vs. 4.7, p = .014) and higher cortisol levels (55.9 vs. 38.4, p = .07) as compared with parents of children without disabilities. Sociodemographic data has no influence on cortisol levels ( p > .05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that the caregiving of children with DS has an impact on parenting oral health and stress.