title: Parental perceptions of congenital cardiovascular malformations in their children.
abstract: We assessed parental attitudes towards congenital cardiovascular malformations in their children in a cross-sectional study in Egypt. Parents face many problems related to concerns about their child's prognosis, but these associations with parental stress have never been evaluated in Egypt or examined in relation to religiosity in a predominantly Muslim society. Accordingly, we conducted interviews in Cairo with mothers of 99 sequential infants born with conotruncal heart malformations (cases) and 65 mothers of age-matched controls. The survey assessed healthcare access and usage, knowledge of congenital cardiovascular malformations, religiosity, the Locus of Control Scale, and the Parenting Stress Index. Results showed that 45% of the mothers of cases had correct knowledge about their child's diagnosis; 85% were satisfied with the clinical care; and 79% reported that the cost of care was burdensome. Compared with parents of cases, parents of controls were more likely to report stress overall and all its subscales. Regarding belief about locus of control over health, God as a determining factor was given the highest endorsement. Mothers in the congenital cardiovascular malformations group reported a higher level of parental locus of control than did those in the control group. The correlations between stress and locus of control were stronger in the control than in the case group. Religiosity was related neither to stress nor to locus of control. Future studies can explore the roles that personal, familial, and societal factors play in exacerbating or reducing stress levels among parents of sick children, particularly in developing countries where economic pressures are acute.
authors.affiliation: 1National Liver Institute,Menoufiya University,Shibin El Kom,Egypt.
authors.forename: Sameera
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ezzat
authors.affiliation: 2University of Maryland,Baltimore,Maryland,United States of America.
authors.forename: Osamah
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Saeedi
authors.affiliation: 3Cairo University,Cairo,Egypt.
authors.forename: Doa'a A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.affiliation: 3Cairo University,Cairo,Egypt.
authors.forename: Hala
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hamzeh
authors.affiliation: 4Minia University,Al Minia,Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hamid
authors.affiliation: 5Georgetown University,Washington,District of Columbia,United States of America.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Crowell
authors.affiliation: 6Trinity College Dublin,Dublin,Ireland.
authors.forename: Camille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boostrom
authors.affiliation: 5Georgetown University,Washington,District of Columbia,United States of America.
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Loffredo
authors.affiliation: 5Georgetown University,Washington,District of Columbia,United States of America.
authors.forename: Irene A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Jillson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004534:Egypt; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012067:Religion; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: CHD; cardiovascular malformations; parental stress; religion