Expectations of parents, having children with mental illness, regarding healthcare system

Justas Akavickas1

1  Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania

Abstract

Background. Parents raising children with intellectual disabilities often face problems due to the health condition of the disabled child and satisfaction with health care institutions and their specialists.

The aim of this study. To analyze expectations of parents, having children with mental illness, regarding healthcare system.

Methods. An anonymous questionnaire was in use with open and closed type questions. During the research, a total of 82 parents who have rising kids with mental disability were surveyed. Results were processed and analyzed using statistical data packet SPPS 22. The difference between the variables, when the significance level α = 0.05 is chosen, is considered statistically significant and reliable when the calculated p value does not exceed 0,05 (p≤0.05).

Results. Examine involved 82 respondents, which most of them were women‘s 72 (89 percent). It was found that parents expect health professionals to help the family in general (81,7 percent), that the family receives the promised services ant procedures (85,4 percent), that the specialists are competent (81,7 percent), for the family to have their problems resolved quickly (78%).

Conclusions. Parents of children with intellectual disabilities have the broad expectations of a disabled child. They are important to help doctors provide their expertise, quality of service, simple and polite communication.

Keywords: expectations, mental disability, health care, disability.

https://doi.org/10.53453/ms.2021.06.17