The impact of pediatric brachial plexus injury on families.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the impact of brachial plexus injuries on families to best meet their clinical and social needs.


METHODS
Our cross-sectional study included families with children between the ages of 1 and 18 years with birth or non-neonatal brachial plexus injuries (BPIs). The consenting parent or guardian completed a demographic questionnaire and the validated Impact on Family Scale during a single assessment. Total scores can range from 0 to 100, with the higher the score indicating a higher impact on the family. Factor analysis and item-total correlations were used to examine structure, individual items, and dimensions of family impact.


RESULTS
A total of 102 caregivers participated. Overall, families perceived various dimensions of impact on having a child with a BPI. Total family impact was 43. The 2 individual items correlating most strongly with the overall total score were from the financial dimension of the Impact on Family Scale. The strongest demographic relationship was traveling nationally for care and treatment of the BPI. Severity of injury was marginally correlated with impact on the family. Parent-child agreement about the severity of the illness was relatively high.


CONCLUSIONS
Caretakers of children with a BPI perceived impact on their families in the form of personal strain, family/social factors, financial stress, and mastery. A multidisciplinary clinical care team should address the various realms of impact on family throughout the course of treatment.


METHODS
Prognostic II.
Brachial Plexus Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH. Electronic address: Emily.louden@cchmc.org.
Emily
E
Louden
Brachial Plexus Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH.
Allison
A
Allgier
Brachial Plexus Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH.
Myra
M
Overton
Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH.
Jeffrey
J
Welge
Brachial Plexus Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH.
Charles T
CT
Mehlman
D000293:Adolescent; D001720:Birth Injuries / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000293:injuries*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Brachial plexus; Impact on Family Scale; families