[Sense of coherence for parents of disabled children].
BACKGROUND
The link between chronic illness in children and their parents' sense of coherence has not previously been studied in Norway.


METHODS
The study population was composed of two different samples. The first sample was randomised and taken from children in Norway aged 2 to 17 years in 1996. The other sample was not randomised and was taken from children aged 4 to 16 years staying at Frambu (national centre of expertise and information for rare disabilities) in the period from ultimo 1995 to primo 1997. Parents answered a questionnaire for both samples.


RESULTS
The results showed a link between chronic illness and disabilities in children and their parents' poor sense of coherence. High odds for a poor sense of coherence were most common among parents of mentally disabled children (OR = 2.05, KI = 1.14-3.69). Parents of children with chronic illness and disabilities scored higher for the dimensions meaningfulness and comprehension, compared with parents who had children without such problems.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that parents of mentally disabled children are more vulnerable than parents of children without a chronic disease or functional impairment, and also more vulnerable than parents of children with other chronic disease/functional impairments.
Grøholt
Else-Karin
EK
Divisjon for epidemiologi, Nasjonalt folkehelseinstitutt, Postboks 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo. else-karin.groholt@fhi.no
Nordhagen
Rannveig
R
Heiberg
Arvid
A
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires