Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/52882
Title: Understanding maternal resilience; Lesson learnt from rural mothers caring for a child with a chronic health condition
Contributor(s): Bristow, Sally  (author)orcid ; Usher, Kim  (author)orcid ; Power, Tamara (author); Jackson, Debra  (author)
Publication Date: 2022-09
Early Online Version: 2021-10-24
DOI: 10.1111/jocn.16081
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/52882
Abstract: 

Aim: This study aimed to understand the lived experience of rural mothers caring for a child with a chronic health condition and to understand their perspectives on the support, services and resources they identify as necessary to effectively manage caregiving.

Background: Maternal caregivers in rural areas experience difficulty accessing specialist health care for their child and can also experience geographical and social isolation. Understanding the factors that enable these maternal caregivers to overcome the challenges and adversities faced is crucial to help nurses identify and facilitate avenues for support and resources.

Design: This study employed a phenomenological design. The study is reported in line with Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research guidelines (COREQ).

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 maternal caregivers in rural New South Wales, Australia, who had at least one child with a chronic health condition aged between 2-18 years. Data were collected from March to June 2018. Thematic analysis was used to develop a thematic framework. This paper reports on one of the major themes identified in this research, specifically maternal resilience.

Results: Participants demonstrated maternal resilience by creating meaningful social connections, cultivating networks, developing problem-solving skills, enhancing their self-efficacy and finding a sense of purpose through hope and optimism. These strategies provide nurses insight into how some rural women overcome adversities associated with their maternal labour required in caring for a child with a chronic health condition.

Conclusion: This study found that participants overcame the challenges related to their caregiving work, emerging as resilient caregivers. Understanding maternal resilience assists nurses to provide the services rural mothers in Australia need to care for their child with a CHC.

Relevance to clinical practice: Findings from this study provide insight into the experiences of rural maternal caregivers of children with a chronic health condition and identify the strategies they adopt to overcome caregiver challenges. Understanding these strategies allows nurses to improve care and support for rural mothers using a strength-based approach to build maternal resilience.

Publication Type: Journal Article
Source of Publication: Journal of Clinical Nursing, 31(17-18), p. 2593-2604
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Place of Publication: United Kingdom
ISSN: 1365-2702
0962-1067
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: 420503 Community and primary care
420599 Nursing not elsewhere classified
420321 Rural and remote health services
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020: 200307 Nursing
Peer Reviewed: Yes
HERDC Category Description: C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal
Appears in Collections:Journal Article
School of Health

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