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Volume 8 J Community Med Health Educ, an open access journal
ISSN: 2161-0711 Public Health 2018
February 26-28, 2018
PUBLIC HEALTH AND NUTRITION
3rd World Congress on
February 26-28, 2018 London, UK
QUALITY OF LIFE OF PRINCIPAL CAREGIVERS OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN AND
ADOLESCENTS VISITING HEALTH FACILITIES IN LUCKNOW CITY, UTTAR PRADESH,
INDIA
Aparna Jaina, Naim Ahmeda, Vivek Agarwal a, Chandrakantaa, Pooja Mahaura, Vijay Kumar Singha and Nitesh Kumar Shrivastava
aKing George’s Medical College, India
Background: Autism is a neuro developmental disorder with core features of impaired social interaction, impaired
communication, and restricted and repetitive interests and activities. Parents of children with Autistic Disorder may find
themselves burdened with a lifelong responsibility of caring for their children and diminished attention to their own health.
Other than this, lack of knowledge about autism, lack of treatment, and if treatment is available it is unaffordable, adds on the
stress. This leads to deterioration of quality of life of parents in several domains like affected social life, increased physical,
emotional and psychological stress, family clashes and affected married life.
Objectives: To study the Quality of Life of Principal Caregivers of Autistic children and adolescents visiting health facilities in
Lucknow city.
Method: Purposive sampling method was used. The sample included 90 principal caregivers (aged < 60 years) of autistic
children and adolescents aged 3 to 19 years and diagnosed with autism, attending government and private health facilities
providing treatment for autism in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Result: The quality of life of principal caregivers was found to be influenced most in the physical health domain (with least
score). The caregivers with good score in environmental health domain had better knowledge regarding Autism. Place of
Residence influenced the Psychological and Environmental health of principal caregivers. The predictors of quality of life of
principal caregivers were Type of family and Knowledge regarding child’s problem.
Conclusion and Recommendations: Knowledge regarding Autism predicted the overall quality of life of principal caregivers.
Thus, there is an immense need of increasing awareness through IECmaterials, Mass Media, discussions etc. regarding Autism.
The caregivers should be counselled about the importance of joint families in improving their quality of life.
Biography
Aparna Jain is an upcoming public health specialist from India. Presently she is pursuing junior residency for the degree of MD from the Department of Community
medicine and Public Health, King George’s Medical University, Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, India.
Aparna Jain et al., J Community Med Health Educ 2018, Vol 8
DOI: 10.4172/2161-0711-C1-032