BACKGROUND: The link between chronic illness in children and their parents' sense of coherence has not previously been studied in Norway. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The study population was composed of two different samples. The first sample was randomised and taken from children in Norway aged 2 to 17 years in 1996. The other sample was not randomised and was taken from children aged 4 to 16 years staying at Frambu (national centre of expertise and information for rare disabilities) in the period from ultimo 1995 to primo 1997. Parents answered a questionnaire for both samples. RESULTS: The results showed a link between chronic illness and disabilities in children and their parents' poor sense of coherence. High odds for a poor sense of coherence were most common among parents of mentally disabled children (OR = 2.05, KI = 1.14-3.69). Parents of children with chronic illness and disabilities scored higher for the dimensions meaningfulness and comprehension, compared with parents who had children without such problems. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that parents of mentally disabled children are more vulnerable than parents of children without a chronic disease or functional impairment, and also more vulnerable than parents of children with other chronic disease/functional impairments.
BACKGROUND: The link between chronic illness in children and their parents' sense of coherence has not previously been studied in Norway. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The study population was composed of two different samples. The first sample was randomised and taken from children in Norway aged 2 to 17 years in 1996. The other sample was not randomised and was taken from children aged 4 to 16 years staying at Frambu (national centre of expertise and information for rare disabilities) in the period from ultimo 1995 to primo 1997. Parents answered a questionnaire for both samples. RESULTS: The results showed a link between chronic illness and disabilities in children and their parents' poor sense of coherence. High odds for a poor sense of coherence were most common among parents of mentally disabled children (OR = 2.05, KI = 1.14-3.69). Parents of children with chronic illness and disabilities scored higher for the dimensions meaningfulness and comprehension, compared with parents who had children without such problems. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that parents of mentally disabled children are more vulnerable than parents of children without a chronic disease or functional impairment, and also more vulnerable than parents of children with other chronic disease/functional impairments.