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Health‐related quality of life and congenital heart disease in A ustralia
Author(s) -
Eagleson Karen J,
Justo Robert N,
Ware Robert S,
Johnson Susan G,
Boyle Frances M
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/jpc.12296
Subject(s) - medicine , psychosocial , tetralogy of fallot , quality of life (healthcare) , anxiety , heart disease , pediatrics , disease , psychiatry , nursing
Aim To determine whether, in children with congenital heart disease ( CHD ), disease severity is associated with health‐related quality of life ( HRQOL ) and impact on the family. Methods Cross‐sectional, single‐centre study comparing HRQOL outcomes of age and sex matched children with hypoplasia of the left ventricle ( HLV ) ( n = 31) and tetralogy of F allot ( n = 29) was performed in Q ueensland, A ustralia. HRQOL was assessed using generic and disease‐specific components of the P aediatric Q uality of L ife I nventory M easurement M odel (PedsQL). Intra‐diagnostic age group comparisons of HRQOL were examined. Impact of CHD on families and parental HRQOL was assessed using the PedsQL Family Impact Scale. Results Child and parent‐proxy reporting indicate children with HLV have significantly lower overall HRQOL than children with tetralogy of Fallot across generic domains of HRQOL ( P < 0.0001), with significantly lower scores in physical ( P < 0.0001) and psychosocial ( P < 0.0001) health domains. No significant difference in child reporting across domains of the C ardiac M odule is evident. Parent‐proxy reporting indicates significantly lower scores on the symptom scales for children with HLV ( P < 0.001), with greater cognitive problems ( P < 0.02) and perceived treatment anxiety ( P < 0.01). No significant differences in HRQOL were identified between age groups. HLV has a greater overall family impact, with significantly lower parental HRQOL ( P = 0.0001) and family functioning ( P < 0.0001) summary scores. Conclusions The more severe condition of HLV is associated with poorer HRQOL in some domains and has greater impact on parental HRQOL and family functioning.