2023-09-28 14:46:10 +00:00
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abstract: 'Objective. This study examines 1) the way that children with chronic
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conditions are cared for at home and assisted by technology affects
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maternal employment and child care; 2) the social and clinical factors
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associated with the decision of a mother to quit employment to care for
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a child at home; and 3) the way in which care at home and the decision
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of a mother to quit a job affects maternal mental health.
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Design. The 6-month postdischarge status of 70 mothers of children
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assisted by technology (study group) was compared with the 6-month
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postdischarge status of 58 mothers of children (matched for age and
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gender) hospitalized for acute illnesses (comparison group). Between
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January and December 1993, we gathered information on sociodemographic
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status, employment status and changes in employment, severity of the
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child''s condition, child care and nursing services at home, family
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support, and maternal mental health.
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Results. One third of mothers in the study group reported that they quit
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employment to take fare of a child at home with only 37.1\% remaining
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employed outside the home, compared with 69.0\% of comparison group
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mothers. Single caretakers were 15 times more likely to quit employment
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compared with mothers in two-parent families. Availability of child care
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had an independent effect on a mother''s decision to quit a job, whereas
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the severity of the child''s condition did not. Child care hours were
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significantly lower in study group families and were provided mostly by
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relatives compared with daycare facilities and regular babysitters in
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comparison families. Family support was highest among employed mothers
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in both the study and the comparison groups and lowest in study group
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mothers who were neither employed currently nor before the child''s
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illness or who had quit employment to care for the child. Family income
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was significantly lower in families with a child assisted by technology.
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Families in the study group had 20-fold higher uncompensated health care
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costs than did the comparison group. Mothers caring for a child assisted
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by technology reported less good mental health than did comparison group
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mothers, and employment seems to mediate this relationship.
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Conclusions. Caring for a child assisted by technology seems to create
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barriers to maternal employment diminishing family resources at a time
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when financial needs actually may increase. Lack of family support and
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child care services increase the likelihood that mothers of children
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assisted by technology will stay out of the labor force. Remaining
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employed buffers the negative effects of care at home on maternal mental
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health. Health policies for children with chronic health problems should
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address issues of financial burdens and the labor force participation of
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their caretakers.'
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affiliation: 'Thyen, U (Corresponding Author), Univ Lubeck, Klin Padiat, Kahlhorststr
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31-35, D-23538 Lubeck, Germany.
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Univ Lubeck, Klin Padiat, D-23538 Lubeck, Germany.
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Massachusetts Gen Hosp, Div Gen Pediat, Boston, MA 02114 USA.
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Harvard Univ, Sch Med, Dept Pediat, Boston, MA 02115 USA.'
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author: Thyen, U and Kuhlthau, K and Perrin, JM
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author-email: uthyen@compuserve.com
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author_list:
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- family: Thyen
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given: U
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- family: Kuhlthau
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given: K
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- family: Perrin
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given: JM
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da: '2023-09-28'
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doi: 10.1542/peds.103.6.1235
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eissn: 1098-4275
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files: []
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issn: 0031-4005
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journal: PEDIATRICS
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keywords: 'chronic illness; home care; technology assisted; family support;
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employment; quality of life; child care'
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keywords-plus: 'PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT; FAMILY; STRESS; WOMEN; WORK; DISABILITIES;
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FATHERS; IMPACT; PARENT'
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language: English
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month: JUN
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number: 6, 1
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number-of-cited-references: '49'
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orcid-numbers: Perrin, James/0000-0002-1810-3708
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pages: 1235-1242
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papis_id: feb18513860c6daa075e0e95cfb36004
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ref: Thyen1999employmentchild
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times-cited: '135'
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title: Employment, child care, and mental health of mothers caring for children assisted
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by technology
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2023-10-01 08:15:07 +00:00
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type: article
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2023-09-28 14:46:10 +00:00
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unique-id: WOS:000080613400030
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usage-count-last-180-days: '1'
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usage-count-since-2013: '13'
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volume: '103'
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web-of-science-categories: Pediatrics
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year: '1999'
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