Abstract
Background The care needs of epileptic children are a multidimensional concept that varies based on the experience and understanding of family caregivers. This study aimed to concept analysis the care needs of epileptic children's parents.Methods This study was conducted using the hybrid method in three phases. The available literature was systematically searched in the theoretical phase. In the fieldwork phase with a qualitative approach, 13 parents caring for epileptic children were investigated with individual and semi-structured interviews at the Besat Teaching-Treatment Center (Hamadan, Iran) in 2024. In the final phase, the concept of parental care needs was defined based on the findings of the theoretical and fieldwork phases.Results The common antecedents of the theoretical and fieldwork phases included low education levels and poor economic status, and the antecedent of ineffective supporters appeared in the fieldwork phase. The common consequences were care quality improvement, financial burden reduction, care knowledge acquisition, and psychosocial status improvement, and the consequence of increasing stability in the family structure appeared in the fieldwork phase. The care needs of epileptic children's parents included the need for comprehensive support, financial challenges, low care knowledge, therapeutic needs, and psychological challenges. These needs are affected by factors such as poor economic status and low education, and their fulfillment leads to improved quality of life and more effective disease management.Conclusion Concentration on parental care needs and provision of appropriate support through education, financial resources, and social support can help reduce psychosocial pressures on families.