Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

2025

Faculty Mentor

Cristina Reyes Smith

Abstract

Individuals with disabilities living all over the world are constantly faced with additional barriers. In low-income countries, such as Nicaragua, there is often a gap in access to resources and education, for both individuals living with disabilities and their caregivers. Access is essential to provide high quality care to meet unique needs. This occupational therapy doctoral capstone project was created to support individuals providing care to children with special needs and complex medical diagnoses in Nicaragua by providing community-based education and sustainable resources to caregivers to enhance wellbeing in daily life. The deliverable was presented in country in Nicaragua to community members and is being distributed as video modules highlighting several areas impacting wellbeing including management of challenging behaviors and mental health. These videos will be posted on the organization’s website and are available in Spanish to ensure accessibility to this specific population. Data was collected through qualitative and quantitative approaches using pre/post surveys to evaluate the level of knowledge on given topics as well as verbal feedback provided by caregivers and program directors. Results from the surveys demonstrated improved knowledge in areas of mental health, addressing challenging behaviors, and general wellbeing. Responses indicated that the presentations and resources were helpful for caregivers. This project explored opportunities for educating caregivers of children with complex medical diagnoses to improve quality of life in a developing country. Future studies should further explore the effectiveness and utilization of video modules and other educational strategies to promote caregiver education in developing countries to promote physical, mental, and social well-being as emphasized by the World Health Organization (WHO).

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