Caregiving ability of parents of TBI children at discharge: status quo and derived care strategies

BACKGROUND: The rehabilitation and nursing care of children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) necessitate long-term caregiving, and the caregiving ability of parents exerts a critical influence on the prognosis of these children. This study was designed to analyze the current status of caregiving ability among parents of children with TBI at discharge and identify its influencing factors.​. METHODS: Parents of children with TBI who were admitted to our hospital from June 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, were recruited as participants. Relevant information about the children and their parents was collected, and the parents’ caregiving ability at the time of discharge was evaluated.​. RESULTS: A total of 245 parents of children with TBI were enrolled in the study. The mean score of discharge caregiving ability among these parents was 62.14 ± 8.07. Correlation analysis showed that the child’s age (r=-0.564), TBI classification (r=-0.610), the parent’s relationship to the child (differentiated between mothers and fathers) (r = 0.596), educational level (r = 0.614), and personal monthly income (r = 0.625) were significantly correlated with the parents’ caregiving ability. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the child’s age, TBI classification, the parent’s relationship to the child, educational level, and personal monthly income are influencing factors of caregiving ability (adjusted R² = 0.560, p < 0.05).​. CONCLUSIONS: The caregiving ability of parents of children with TBI is insufficient when their children are discharged, highlighting the need for improvement. Clinically, targeted nursing interventions should be implemented based on the identified influencing factors to optimize the prognosis of children with TBI.