CARING FOR THE CAREGIVER: EXPLORING THE EXPERIENCE OF CAREGIVING FOR A CHID WITH MEDICAL COMPLEXITY

Children with medical complexity (CMC) represent a growing population in the paediatric healthcare system. CMCs’ multiple health needs, illness severity, and fragility lead to a high degree of caregiver burnout, parental employment loss, and other social and financial consequences. Healthcare providers must consider a holistic view of the family, including consideration of social determinants of health [SDOH]: socio-economic status, employment, quality of housing, availability of social support, and access to healthcare services. This study addresses a gap in current research by exploring how caring for a CMC exacerbates social inequalities, and how these challenges may be mitigated