International Journal on Science and Technology

E-ISSN: 2229-7677   •   Impact Factor: 9.88

A Widely Indexed Open Access Peer Reviewed Multidisciplinary Bi-monthly Scholarly International Journal

Call for Paper Volume 17 Issue 2 April-June 2026 Submit your research before last 3 days of June to publish your research paper in the issue of April-June.
Submit Research Paper Join as a Reviewer

Plagiarism is checked by the leading plagiarism checker TurnItIn

Call for Paper

Volume 17 Issue 2
April-June 2026

Submit your research paper

Indexing Partners
Academia Advanced Sciences Index Bielefeld Academic Search Engine CiteSeer DRJI Google Scholar Independent Search Engine & Directory Network ISI (International Scientific Indexing) Issuu Mendeley Research Networks
RefSeek ResearcherId - Thomson Reuters ResearchGate Scirus Scribd Semantic Scholar UTeM - Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka Wiki for Call for Papers WorldCat Zenodo

Living with Little Hearts: Maternal Illness Perception and Family Dynamics in Childhood Congenital Heart Disease

Author(s) Ms. Rahmath Noor Jessima sheaksyead, Dr. Shankar Shanmugam Rajendran, Mr. Kannan kasinathan, Dr. Vanitha Narayanasamy, Ms. Indira Marimuthu, Ms. Prabavathi Srinivasan
Country India
Abstract Introduction:
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is among the most common chronic pediatric conditions and places substantial emotional, social, and financial burdens on families, particularly mothers who are often the primary caregivers. Caring for a child with CHD can influence maternal perceptions of illness, disrupt family routines, and affect overall family functioning. Objectives:
To explore the illness perceptions and family dynamics of mothers caring for children with congenital heart disease in a selected tertiary care hospital and to identify areas where healthcare professionals can provide improved support.
Materials and Methods:
The study employed a mixed-method exploratory sequential design. During the qualitative phase, six mothers were selected using purposive sampling and participated in in-depth interviews. In the quantitative phase, 60 mothers were recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a socio-demographic and clinical profile sheet, a semi-structured interview schedule, and the McMaster Family Functioning Scale. Results:
Qualitative analysis revealed four major themes: understanding of illness, effects on family and everyday life, coping approaches, and sources of support. Mothers commonly reported anxiety, uncertainty about their child’s future, and disturbances in daily activities and social interactions. Many relied on spiritual beliefs, family encouragement, and peer support to manage stress. Quantitative findings showed that the majority of participants were between 21 and 30 years of age (63.33%), homemakers (66.67%), and had completed secondary education (45%). The mean family functioning score was 26.45 ± 2.95, and 76.67% of mothers demonstrated good family functioning. Significant associations were identified between family functioning and variables such as maternal age, educational status, type of family, and the child’s level of physical activity. Conclusion:
Despite experiencing considerable emotional and social challenges, mothers of children with CHD exhibited resilience and positive coping abilities. Enhancing family-centered care and psychosocial support services may improve maternal wellbeing and strengthen family adaptation.
Keywords Congenital heart disease, illness perception, family functioning, mothers, coping strategies.
Field Medical / Pharmacy
Published In Volume 17, Issue 2, April-June 2026
Published On 2026-05-21
View / Download PDF File

Share this


CrossRef

CrossRef DOI is assigned to each research paper published in our journal.

IJSAT DOI prefix is
10.71097/IJSAT

Downloads
Research Paper Format Copyright Permission Form and Undertaking Form Cover Page Vol 17 Isu 2Cover Page Vol 17 Isu 1Cover Page Vol 16 Isu 4

All research papers published on this website are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, and all rights belong to their respective authors/researchers.

CC-BY-SA Open Access

About IJSAT
Fees & Payment
Current Issue
Publication Archive 		Submit Research Paper
Track Submission Status
Publication Guidelines
Publication Ethics
Peer Review & Plagiarism 		Join as a Reviewer
Editors & Reviewers
Reviewer Referral Program
Get Reviewer Membership Certi. 		Website/Journal Policies
Usage Policy
Content Policies
Privacy Policy
Contact Us Message on WhatsApp +91-9687-182-185 editor@ijsat.org