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Quality of life in children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome
Author(s) -
Mellander M.,
Berntsson L.,
Nilsson B.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2007.00039.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hypoplastic left heart syndrome , socioeconomic status , quality of life (healthcare) , pediatrics , heart disease , population , nursing , environmental health
Aim: To measure quality of life in children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and their families. Methods: A questionnaire exploring socioeconomic status, structure and function of networks and psychological well‐being was completed by the families of all 18 patients older than 2 years (age range 2.7–10.6). The results were compared with those of 180 healthy Swedish children matched for age and sex. Results: There were no significant differences between the groups in any of the aspects of socioeconomic status. Study group parents had not more available time for their child (p < 0.05) and more separations/divorces (p < 0.01). The patients had lower self‐esteem (p < 0.05), more psychosomatic symptoms (p < 0.001) and lower peer acceptance (p < 0.01) than control children. Conclusion: With regard to psychological well‐being, quality of life was significantly lower in children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome than in healthy controls.