Research from Columbus Children's Hospital broadens understanding of eczema
2007 OCT 23 -- "' To assess parental stress levels of mothers of children less than 6 years old with eczema and compare these levels with those reported for other chronic childhood illnesses. Mothers were recruited from hospital-based out-patient clinics (55%) or while their child was an inpatient (45%) for management of eczema," scientists in Westmead, Australia report. "Maternal stress was measured utilising the Parenting Stress Index-Long Form (PSI) in 33 mothers. The severity of the eczema at the time of interview was documented by the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) score and the Investigators' Global Assessment (IGA) score. The children with eczema had a mean age of 2.8 years. Mothers of children aged 5 years or less with eczema exhibited significantly higher total stress scores (mean PSI 259.6, 95% CI 244.9 to 274.3) as compared to mothers of normal children (PSI 222.8, 95% CI 221.4 to 224.2) and children with other chronic disorders such as insulin-dependent diabetes (PSI 218.1, 95% CI 204.7 to 231.6) and profound deafness (PSI 221.7, 95% CI 206.4 to 237.0). Stress scores in the parental domain (138.2, 95% CI 128.9 to 147.6) did not differ significantly from the scores of parents of children with severe disabilities such as those requiring home enteral feeding (135.2, 95% CI 129.3 to 141.1) and those with Rett syndrome (132.8, 95% CI 125.0 to 140.6)," wrote J. Faught and colleagues, Columbus Children's Hospital. The researchers concluded: "Moderate to severe childhood eczema should be regarded as a significant illness in which maternal stress is equivalent to that associated with the care of children with severe developmental and physical problems." Faught and colleagues published their study in Archives of Disease in Childhood (Stress in mothers of young children with eczema. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 2007;92(8):683-686). For more information, contact A. Kemp, Columbus Children's Hospital, Dept. of Allergy & Infectious Disease, Locked Bag 4001, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia. Publisher contact information for the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood is: B M J Publishing Group, British Med Association House, Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9JR, England. Keywords: Australia, Westmead, Dermatology, Eczema, Columbus Children's Hospital. This article was prepared by Life Science Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Life Science Weekly via NewsRx.com.
|
