| Abstract [eng] |
Urgency of the problem: research of quality of life of children with CHD uncovers and helps to understand the main children‘s and their parents‘, families‘ problems, demands, valuables, attitudes. Evaluation of quality of life of such children is an additional criterion to effectiveness of public health service. It can be used as a base for monitoring of effectiveness of public health service, to improve or adjust it, if needed. The aim of the research work was to evaluate quality of life of 2-18 years old children with CHD and their parents. Tasks of the research: 1. To review social–demographic characteristics of children with CHD as well as their parents. 2. To evaluate quality of life of children with CHD in children‘s point of view. 3. To evaluate quality of life of children with CHD in parent‘s point of view. 4. To compare evaluation approaches to quality of life of children with CHD and their parents. 5. To provide practical recommendations for families with CHD in order to improve quality of life of children and their parents. Sampling. Children with CHD–cured at II Surgery Department of Vilnius University hospital Santariškių klinikos as well as consulted at Consultation Clinic of the same hospital as well as their parents. Methods: The research was performed by questioning. Used tools were questionnaires PedsQLTM Cardiac module 3.0, PedsQLTM Family impact module 2.0 and additional questionnaire to evaluate family demographic data. The data was processed using statistical software SPSS 13.0 for Windows and Microsoft Office Excel 2003. Significance of statistical conclusions were checked using the: Student’s, chi quadrate criterion’s, relation strength, and nature evaluated based on Spearman correlation coefficient. Results and Conclusions 1 The largest part of the sampling consisted of 8–12 years old children (23 children), 5 – 7 and 13 – 18 years old children samplings were similar in size. Proportion of boys and girls was equal–28 children each. Parents of the majority 51 % of children with CHD were high-educated, even 61,7% of parents were engaged in qualified work, the smallest part were unemployed. Average parents’ age was 32 years. The main part of respondents was urban residents (54%) and almost (78%) of children grew in families with both parents. The most children had undergone heart surgery. 2 Children with CHD marked physical health and psychosocial health cognitive problems. Perceived physical appearance and cognitive problems evaluated by children in white and blue heart disease groups did not differ, however statistically significant difference was discovered in evaluation of physical health between the mentioned groups. Treatment anxiety was more dramatic in the blue group. Children’s evaluations did not differ significantly by gender, but we noted that boys rated their quality of life in all scales and subscales, except for treatment anxiety, worse that girls did. Children’s of 8–12 years old rates differed from other groups, although 13–18 years old children worried more about side effects from medicine. At early post surgery period, children evaluated their quality of life worse than those having not undergone heart surgery. 3 A half of parents marked cognitive problems as well as physical health of their child, the latter was rated the worst by parents of 5–7 years old children. Parents mostly worried for treatment anxiety, cognitive problems, and communication. 4 Children and parents rated quality of life scales similarly, however treatment anxiety and physical health average parents’ evaluations were higher, difference statistically significant (p<0,001). Evaluations of physical health were the most signally different between 5–7 years old children and their parents. Cognitive problems, appearance, and communication rates were not significantly different between children and parents. Correlation between parents’ worries and physical functioning of children was discovered. |
