title: Health and quality of life among the caregivers of children with disabilities: A review of literature.
abstract: Families caring for children with disabilities face particular challenges and demands compared to those caring for children without disabilities. Evidence suggests that there is considerable variation in how caregivers of children with disabilities adapt to their caregiving demands and stressors. The different adaptations to the children with disabilities may cause different impacts on the health and well-being of caregivers. This paper provides a brief overview of the literature on the impact of caring for children with disabilities on the health and quality of life of caregivers and the factors related to the health outcomes and quality of life. A literature search was conducted by using various electronic databases, including PsychINFO, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, and MEDLINE using specific key terms. Thirty-one articles published in peer-review journals from the last six years (2009-2014) were reviewed. Most of the studies were quantitative studies. Factors discussed that impact on caregivers' health and quality of life include the caregivers' sociodemographic background and child's disability-related factors. Several mediators and moderators including coping strategies, social support, parental stress, self-esteem and self-efficacy are described in this paper. This review highlighted the importance of these factors to better understand the complex nature of stress processes and the caregivers' adaptations to their children's disabilities.
authors.affiliation: School of Diagnostic and Applied Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 42300 Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Siti Nor Ismalina
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Isa
authors.affiliation: School of Diagnostic and Applied Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Electronic address: ismarul@ukm.edu.my.
authors.forename: Ismarulyusda
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ishak
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Azriani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ab Rahman
authors.affiliation: School of Diagnostic and Applied Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Nur Zakiah
authors.initials: NZ
authors.lastname: Mohd Saat
authors.affiliation: Health Psychology Program, School of Healthcare Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Normah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Che Din
authors.affiliation: School of Diagnostic and Applied Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Syarif Husin
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lubis
authors.affiliation: School of Diagnostic and Applied Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Muhammad Faiz
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Mohd Ismail
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D019988:Children with Disabilities; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life
keywords: Caregivers; Children with disabilities; Factors; Psychological health; Quality of life; Stress