Coping strategies and quality of life among caregivers of children with intellectual disabilities in coastal district of India: A community based cross-sectional study

Objectives: To determine the quality of life (QoL) and coping strategies of caregivers of children with intellectual disabilities.Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Dakshina Kannada district, India between April and May 2024. All children under 18 years of age with intellectual disabilities in Bantwal were identified from the District Health Office records (n=226). Of these, 208 caregivers (92.0%) consented to participate. Data were collected face-to-face interview using the WHOQOL-BREF and Brief COPE questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS Ver.29. T-tests, Mann-Whitney tests, one-way ANOVA, and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to compare QoL and coping strategies, followed by multiple linear regression.Results: Among the children, 65.4% (n=136) were males, and 64.9% (n=135) were aged 10-14 years. The mean age of children was 12.7±2.59 years, while caregivers had a mean age of 41.1 ±3.98 years. The psychological domain had the highest mean QoL score (65.5±9.38). Acceptance and religion were commonly used coping strategies, with median scores of 3 (2.5-3) and 3 (2.5-3.5), respectively. Caregivers of female children and those aged 10–14 years reported significantly better physical, psychological, social and environmental QoL (p≤0.05). Fathers use more avoidant coping strategy than mothers (p=0.030). Employed caregivers reported use of problem-focused coping (p=0.02), while middle class caregivers used more emotion-focused coping than upper class caregivers (p=0.001).Conclusion: Caregivers of children with intellectual disabilities experience differing levels of QoL, highlighting the need for greater support and targeted interventions to enhance their well-being.