# Mental Ill‐Health in Mothers Caring for Offspring With Intellectual Disabilities at Different Stages of Caregiving: Secondary Data Analysis and Data Linkage of Administrative and Health Records

## TL;DR

Mothers of children with intellectual disabilities face higher mental health risks, but this varies with the child's age and caregiving stage.

## Contribution

This study uniquely examines maternal mental health across different caregiving stages, including after the child's death.

## Key findings

- Mothers of children with intellectual disabilities had higher mental ill-health (OR=1.28) compared to other mothers.
- Mental health risks were highest during childhood (OR=1.40) and lower in older adulthood (OR=1.22).
- Mothers with mental health diagnoses faced worse health and socioeconomic outcomes (p<0.0001).

## Abstract

Little research has investigated maternal‐carer mental ill‐health at different stages of care‐giving, including following the death of offspring with intellectual disabilities.

Population cohort study of 9787 mothers of offspring with intellectual disabilities, matched with 30,235 mothers of offspring without intellectual disabilities.

Mental ill‐health was significantly higher for mothers of offspring with intellectual disabilities (OR = 1.28, 95% CI [1.22–1.34]) than mothers of offspring without intellectual disabilities and at different stages: child (OR = 1.40, 95% CI [1.30–1.51]), adult (OR = 1.22 95% CI [1.14–1.29]) but not older adults (OR = 1.22, 95% CI [0.91–1.65]). Mothers with a mental health diagnosis, compared to those without, were significantly more likely to have long‐term health problems, poorer health and socioeconomic circumstances (e.g., greater neighbourhood deprivation) (all at p < 0.0001). No difference was found between mothers' mental health whose offspring with/without intellectual disabilities died (p = 0.68).

This study provides unique insights into factors associated with the mental health of maternal carers and the need for services to better meet their needs.

Mothers of offspring with intellectual disabilities were more likely to experience mental ill‐health compared to mothers of offspring without intellectual disabilities.Among mothers of offspring with intellectual disabilities, those who had mental ill‐health were more likely to experience long term health problems and experience poorer socioeconomic circumstances (e.g., greater neighbourhood deprivation) compared to those who did not have mental ill‐health.Mental ill‐health was similar for mothers whose offspring with (40.5%) or without intellectual disabilities (38.3%) had died.Support for maternal carers is needed throughout the caregiving journey, given the high rates of mental ill‐health.

Mothers of offspring with intellectual disabilities were more likely to experience mental ill‐health compared to mothers of offspring without intellectual disabilities.

Among mothers of offspring with intellectual disabilities, those who had mental ill‐health were more likely to experience long term health problems and experience poorer socioeconomic circumstances (e.g., greater neighbourhood deprivation) compared to those who did not have mental ill‐health.

Mental ill‐health was similar for mothers whose offspring with (40.5%) or without intellectual disabilities (38.3%) had died.

Support for maternal carers is needed throughout the caregiving journey, given the high rates of mental ill‐health.