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Arthritis, parenting and household work
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Scientific Study Title:
Arthritis, parenting and household work
Research Category
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Catherine Backman, Research Team Member, Arthritis Research Canada
Catherine Backman
Senior Scientist Emeritus, Rehabilitation, PhD, FCAOT
Diane Lacaille-Website Headshot-400x400
Diane Lacaille
MDCM, MHSc, FRCPC, Scientific Director, Rheumatology

Why did we do this research?

Reason For Research

According to Statistics Canada, approximately 65% of women are mothers with children at home. There is very little research on the effect of arthritis on the role of mothers, although some studies of mothers with disabilities (including arthritis) have identified physical limitations caring for young children, such as bathing or carrying children, or manipulating small items like buttons or hair ribbons when helping children dress. One of our previous studies on participation in paid and unpaid work demonstrated that one-third of women with arthritis who identified “mother” as their main form of work reported limitations in doing the tasks necessary to be a mother. Parenting activities, like listening, comforting, and teaching children, are often done concurrently with household tasks like planning meals, cooking, laundry and shopping. For this reason, we think it is important to simultaneously study motherhood and household work, rather than separating them into two different areas of study. This study builds on the existing knowledge, but also works towards identifying: a) What predicts parenting and household work disability? b) What solutions can we use in health, rehabilitation and social service programs to assist mothers with challenges in parenting and household work? Results will also help us plan future studies related to arthritis and parenting, for example, with fathers who have arthritis.

 

The Research Team

Andrew Chalmers, MD Rheumatologist & Professor, UBC Dept of Medicine

Diane Lacaille, MDCM, MHSc, FRCPC, Scientific Director, Arthritis Research Canada (University of British Columbia)

Allen Lehman, PhD Research Associate, ARC Pamela Montie Consumer Collaborator, Consumer Advisory Board, ARC

Melinda Suto, PhD Assistant Professor UBC Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy

Research Staff who helped with different stages of the study:

Linda Del Fabro Smith, BSc (OT), MSc (graduate student at time of study) Sharon Smith, PhD (graduate student at time of study) Katie (Rogers) Adam, ARC Summer research assistant Lisa Singh, ARC Research Secretary

 

 

Who Funded This Research?

This research has been funded by the American College of Rheumatology Research and Education Foundation through a Health Professional Investigator Award.

 

 

Related Publications

  1. Backman, C.L., Del Fabro Smith, L., Smith, S., Montie, P.L. & Suto, M. (2007). Experiences of mothers living with inflammatory arthritis. Arthritis & Rheumatism (Arthritis Care & Research), 57, 381-388.
  2. Backman, C., Del Fabro Smith, L., Smith, S., Montie, P. & Suto, M. (2007). “Sometimes I can, sometimes I can’t.” The influence of arthritis on mothers’ habits. Poster presented at the American Occupational Therapy Foundation Habits III Conference, Habits & Rehabilitation: Promoting Participation, Pala Alto, CA. Abstract printed in OTJR: Occupation, Participation & Health, (Habits Supplement).
  3. Backman, C.L., Del Fabro Smith, L., Smith, S., Montie, P.L. & Suto, M. (2006). The impact of arthritis on mothers. Paper presented at the Canadian Society of Occupational Scientists, 3rd Biennial Conference, Vancouver, BC.
  4. Backman, C.L. & Del Fabro Smith, L. (2005). “I’m not Like Other Mothers, and That’s Good:” Experiences of Mothers with Arthritis. Paper presented at the Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals Annual Scientific Meeting, San Diego. Abstract printed in Arthritis & Rheumatism, 52, (suppl).
  5. Backman, C.L. & Del Fabro Smith, L. (2004). The experiences of mothers with chronic arthritis. Paper presented at the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists Annual Conference, Vancouver, BC. Abstract printed in Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72, (Conference Supplement).
  6. Backman, C.L, Del Fabro Smith, L., Chalmers, A., Montie, P., Lacaille, D., (2008, April). Participation outcomes: Measuring performance of parenting tasks, parenting efficacy and parenting satisfaction. CARE V Conference on Multidisciplinary Care for People with Arthritis, Oslo, Norway.
  7. Backman, C.L., Chalmers, A., Montie, P. & Lacaille, D. (2009, October). Parenting experience of mothers with and without inflammatory arthritis. Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals Annual Scientific Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.
  8. Backman, C., Lehman, A., Montie, P. & Lacaille, D. (2010, May). Fatigue and occupational engagement in mothers with and without arthritis (abstract). Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists Annual Conference, Halifax, NS.

 

Other conference presentations related to this study are:

  • Backman, C., Gignac, M., Badley, E., Davis, A., Koehn, C., Lacaille, D., Mattison, C. & Montie, P. (2006, June). Participation: A conceptual framework to guide research. Paper presented at the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, Montreal.

 

Textbook Chapters related to this work:

  • Backman, C.L., Fairleigh, A., & Kuchta, G. (2004). Occupational therapy. In E.W. St. Clair, D.S. Pisetsky & B.F. Hayes, (Eds.), RA: Rheumatoid Arthritis, pp. 431-439. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
  • Backman, C.L. (in press). Enabling performance and participation for persons with rheumatic diseases. In C.H. Christiansen, (Ed.), Ways of living: Enabling participation in daily life (4th Edition). Bethesda, MD: AOTA Press. In production for 2010 release.
  • O’Brien, A. & Backman, C. Rheumatoid arthritis. (2010). In K. Dziedzic and A. Hammond (Eds.), Rheumatology: Evidence-based practice for physiotherapists and occupational therapists, pp. 211-233. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.

 

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