The Association between Poverty and Family Financial Challenges of Caring for Medically Complex Children

More than 500,000 children in the United States live with medical complexity. Their families assume responsibility for care and are directly affected by the associated financial costs. In this retrospective, nonexperimental study of children with medical complexity (CMC) and their families, greater than 50% of families experienced financial challenges and left employment to care for CMC. Poverty level was significantly related to financial challenges. Considerations for including family financial challenges into clinical practice, nursing administration, and health policy are offered.