Recovery of injured children: parent perspectives on family needs.
OBJECTIVE
To study the broader impact of emotional and financial burdens of injury in children on their families, along with solutions to these problems.


METHODS
Focus groups were conducted to reveal the needs of parents and children after injury. Audiotaped semistructured interviews were conducted by a team of qualitative researchers.


METHODS
Tertiary care children's hospital.


METHODS
Mothers of children who had sustained traumatic injury.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Summary of reported themes of experience and suggested interventions. Data were analyzed by using content analysis software.


RESULTS
Overall satisfaction with care was high. Parents expressed concerns with communication, access to care, and the transition both within the phases of medical care and from medical care into the community. Consistent financial and social stressors were voiced, along with the need for peer support during all phases of care.


CONCLUSIONS
Parents provided valuable insight into their needs after their child's injury. Attention to constructive communication, clarification of the system of care, continued family-centered care, and development of peer support programs may meet the needs of caregivers and therefore facilitate improvement in pediatric injury recovery.
Aitken
Mary E
ME
Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA. AitkenMaryE@uams.edu
Mele
Nancy
N
Barrett
Kathleen W
KW
D000293:Adolescent; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D005192:Family Health; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D010290:Parents; D010351:Patient Discharge; D012944:Social Support; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*