Caregiving for children with physical disabilities imposes significant emotional and physical demands, creating a high-risk environment for compassion fatigue (CF), a condition characterized by the erosion of empathy and emotional resilience due to prolonged exposure to suffering. The situation is particularly acute in Sub-Saharan Africa and Kenya, where systemic challenges and limited support resources exacerbate caregiver vulnerability. This study aimed to establish the prevalence of compassion fatigue among caregivers of children with physical disabilities attending selected rehabilitation clinics in Nairobi County, Kenya. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed, with data collected from 150 caregivers recruited through a census of all eligible caregivers from two major rehabilitation centers, including The Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya (APDK) and the Cerebral Palsy Society of Kenya (CPSK). Compassion fatigue was assessed using the Burnout and Secondary Traumatic Stress subscales of the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL). Analysis revealed an overwhelming prevalence rate of 89.3% (n=134), with 96.0% of caregivers experiencing moderate burnout and 92.0% experiencing moderate secondary traumatic stress (STS). These findings indicate an extreme level of psychological distress among this caregiver population. The study concludes that there is an urgent and critical need for targeted mental health support interventions and policies designed to mitigate compassion fatigue and build resilience among these essential caregivers in Nairobi County.
compassion fatigue; caregivers; physical disabilities; children; prevalence; Nairobi County; Kenya; cross-sectional study; Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL).
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